| − | '''Joseph Raymond McCarthy''' (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was a [[Republican]] [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from the state of [[Wisconsin]] between 1947 and 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public figure to stand up to [[Communist]] infiltration of the [[United States]] government. He was noted for claiming that there were large numbers of [[Communist Party|Communists]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] spies and sympathizers, engaged in a conspiracy to undermine the [[United States]], inside the federal government and was proven correct by government documents and inquiry, including decrypted [[Venona]] files. Ultimately, his detractors, including the [[Communist Party]], were able to organize an effective effort to having him censured by the [[United States Senate]]. The term "[[McCarthyism]]," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's attempts to expose Communists, was soon applied to similar dogmatic pursuits. | + | '''Joseph Raymond McCarthy''' (November 14, 1908 – May 2, 1957) was a [[Republican]] [[United States Senate|U.S. Senator]] from the state of [[Wisconsin]] between 1947 and 1957. Beginning in 1950, McCarthy became the most visible public figure to stand up to [[Communist]] infiltration of the [[United States]] government and is now considered an American hero by many, though liberals still seek to tarnish his name. He was noted for claiming that there were large numbers of [[Communist Party|Communists]] and [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] spies and sympathizers, engaged in a conspiracy to undermine the [[United States]], inside the federal government and was proven correct by government documents and inquiry, including decrypted [[Venona]] files. Ultimately, his detractors, including the [[Communist Party]], were able to organize an effective effort to having him censured by the [[United States Senate]]. The term "[[McCarthyism]]," coined in 1950 in reference to McCarthy's attempts to expose Communists, was soon applied to similar dogmatic pursuits. |