The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture) [Paperback]

Ellen Schrecker (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312083491 | ISBN-13: 978-0312083496 | Publication Date: February 1994

This documentary history on McCarthyism contains two sections. The first is an essay in which the author discusses the origins and escalation of the anti-communist campaign in the US in the 30s and 40s, and how that campaign functioned and eventually sputtered to an end in the 50s. The second part consists of 22 original documents: transcripts from congressional hearings, FBI reports and speeches which illustrate the issues and events the author discusses in her essay.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Review comments on 1st edition: 'Schrecker's extended interpretive essay on the nature of McCarthyism and the range of documents make this a great collection. The chronology, glossary, and bibliographical essay are particularly useful for undergraduate teaching. In this new edition Schrecker has done an excellent job of assessing the significance of recent Russian archival revelations, including Communist Party involvement in Soviet espionage activities, for our understanding of what we call McCarthyism.' - James R. Barrett, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 'This documentary collection, which draws upon recently released material from archives in Moscow and Washington, is indispensable for any serious student of one of the most troubling eras in American history. Schrecker's knowledge of the field is encyclopedic, and the historical insights she shares with her readers are powerful, subtle, and persuasive.' - Maurice Isserman, Hamilton College --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

About the Author

Ellen Schrecker is Professor of History at Yeshiva University.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press (February 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312083491
• ISBN-13: 978-0312083496
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #454,231 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Ellen Schrecker is a professor of history at Yeshiva University who has written extensively about the Cold War red scare. Among her books are No Ivory Tower: McCarthyism and the Universities, The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents, Many Are the Crimes: McCarthyism in America, and Cold War Triumphalism: Exposing the Misuse of History After the Fall of Communism. Schrecker is the former editor of the American Association of University Professors' magazine, Academe. She lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A handy research tool, May 20, 2000

By 

"chrislapierre" - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History with Documents (Bedford Series in History and Culture) (Paperback)

A good bird's eye view and an easy read, suitable for basic research on American politics in the 1950s. However, lacks anecdotes and a personal touch. Needs to be overhauled with new material that has recently been made available to the public.

0 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars hard to understand, June 23, 2010

By 

Jine Liu (Sacramento, CA,USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History With Documents (Paperback)

The book is kinda boring, and hard to read. The content is limited, not very interesting history book to read.

2 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Mc Carthy phenomenom, January 8, 2011

By 

dennis (fort valley, va, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Age of McCarthyism: A Brief History With Documents (Paperback)

After the Civil War, a political party stayed in power from Grant until Wilson, with the minor interuption of Grover Cleveland who has been our only win-lose-win President. Historians correctly or incorrectly indentify a single comment, one that antagonized the growing Irish and Catholic minorities for his win. Slogans better or worse, and probably for the worse have played their part in American politics. Perhaps "waving the bloody shirt" a reference to the Civil War helped one party dominate over the other for half a century. By 1912, most of the voters who fought in the Civil War, or were greatly affected by it, were dead, and the slogan, which really had nothing to do with the quality of either candidate, ended.

After WWII, after fighting a war against the Axis, and after a truce with the Soviets, it became apparent to at least an immportant element in the US, including the politically powerful Joe Kennedy, a personal and approving friend of Mc Macarthy were begining to warn the US public, just as our great WWII ally, Winston Churchill, that the Soviet Union had been gobbling up most of Eastern Europe. In hindsight, we know from documents given to historians following the break up of Soviet Union's KGB and GRU. An extensive spy network had infiltrated the Western democracies. They had help steal scientific secrets and helped political agitation to influence elections. Some of the persons were spies, were sympathizers, and some were educators. The fact that not all were guilty, in the slightest degree is a defect indemic to war. Some innocent people get hurt, some have their reputations ruined, but in the "Witch Hunt" no one was burned at the stake.

There were no witches, but there were spies. The methods may be condemned, but was Mc Carthy much diffent than John Brown, an unbalanced murderer who has become a ledgend for his just cause-the elimination of slavery?

And how many would understand my point of view. I heard two co-eds from the local college who did not know who Mac Arthur or Mc Carthy were. They agreed, without knowing who they were, that they were "bad". Could this lack of knowledge be caused by misleading historians? Or a flawed public school system?


Hardly anyone, of any importance during the period following WWII, will own up to supporting Senator Mc Carthy. But there were many who did. Edward R. Murrow has been given credit for as the person who brought down Mc Carthy. As a source, most of the younger generation have seen the film and use that as their footnote.

However by reading real historical documents and contemporanious media one discovers that such unlikely conservatives as Dwight Eisenhower and J. Edgar Hoover warned of Mc Carthy's threat to Civil Liberties. Murrow simply jumped on the anti-McCarthy forces when it became "publiclly correct" and not public suicide to critize Mc Carthy.


This book is available on government supported libraries and may be on required college reading lists. How can a student, who wants a second opinion get one, if the only books being offered are of one opinion? An uneducated younger generation who could not tell you who Hitler or Stalin were, can hardly make an intellgent discusion about history, if they are inadequatly given access to historical sources that are not driven by ideology or politics. How many adults know that Senator Mc Carthy was a Senator, and had nothing to do with the House's investigations of Un-American activities. Or that former Attorney General Robert Kennedy served on Senator Mc Carthy's staff. Politicians and some in the media and educational system have created an instant image; to instantly call a poltical opponent is violator of civil rights by using the word "McCarthy".