Question

“One communist, one communist in the faculty of one university is one communist too many. One communist among the American advisors at Yalta was one communist too many. And even...even if there were only one communist in the State Department, even if there were only one communist in the State Department that would still be one communist too many.”

“One Communist" By Senator Joseph McCarthy, July 7, 1952

1. What is the assumption regarding the result of having “one Communist” in any of the situations the author lists?
2. Who are the intended audiences for this speech (not necessarily who he is speaking to at the time of the speech, but who might he hope to get a response from)?
3. What type of response is McCarthy likely to get from this portion of his speech?

Answer 1

1.The assumption regarding the result of having "one Communist" in any of the situations listed is that it is a threat to the security of the United States. McCarthy believes that even one Communist can have a significant impact on the political, social, and economic institutions of the country.

2.The intended audiences for this speech were likely the American public and policymakers. McCarthy wanted to create a sense of fear and urgency among the American people and pressure policymakers to take action against Communism.

3.McCarthy is likely to get a strong emotional response from this portion of his speech, particularly from those who are already fearful of Communism. Some people may agree with McCarthy and support his call for action against Communism, while others may be critical of his tactics and see his rhetoric as exaggerated and dangerous. The speech is known for its controversial and divisive nature, and it ultimately contributed to the Red Scare of the 1950s.