THE RED SCARE

Scare of Communism in the USA

The “Red Scare” refers to the fear of communism in the USA during the 1920’s.
Many Americans were scared of the communists especially as they had overthrown the royal family in Russia in 1917 and murdered them in the following year.
During World War I, approximately nine million people worked in war industries, while another four million were serving in the armed forces.
Once the war was over, these people were left without jobs, and war industries were left without contracts.
Economic difficulties, worker unrest, and labor strikes increased and were deemed "crimes against humanity".
As a result of the strikes and unrest, the strikers were branded as "Reds" and as being unpatriotic.
Fear of strikes leading to a Communist revolution spread throughout the country.
Hysteria took hold and "Red hunting" became the national obsession.

THE FIRST RED SCARE

Nicola Sacco

and Bartolomeo Vanzetti

Both men, who were from Italy and spoke little English, were arrested and charged with a robbery in which 2 guards were killed.

They were known to be anarchists and when they were found they both had loaded guns on them. The judge at their trial – Judge Thayer – was known to hate the “Reds” and 61 people claimed that they saw both men at the robbery/murders, but 107 people claimed that they had seen both men elsewhere when the crime was committed. Regardless, both men were found guilty. They spent 7 years in prison while their lawyers appealed but in vain. Despite many public protests and petitions, both men were executed by electric chair on August 24th, 1927.