Events That Fueled America’s Fear of Communist Revolution

American anxiety about a domestic communist uprising peaked in two “Red Scares” (1919–1920 and late 1940s–1950s), driven by developments abroad and at home:

Russian Revolutions (1917)

• February Revolution toppled the Tsar; October Revolution brought Lenin’s Bolsheviks to power, declaring world revolution as their goal.
• The Communist International (Comintern, 1919) actively funded and directed foreign communist parties.

Early Soviet Policies

Nationalization of industry, land redistribution, and anti-religious campaigns signaled a radical break with capitalist norms, alarming U.S. business and religious leaders.

Domestic Unrest (1919–1920)

• Anarchist bombings (e.g., Wall Street, 1920) and massive strikes (Seattle General Strike, Steel Strike) were linked—often exaggeratedly—to “Reds.”
• Attorney General A. Mitchell Palmer’s raids deported hundreds of suspected radicals.

Cold War Escalation (Post-1945)

• Soviet consolidation of Eastern Europe, the Berlin Blockade (1948), and the Korean War (1950) framed communism as an existential geopolitical threat.
• Spy cases (Rosenbergs, Alger Hiss) and McCarthy-era hearings intensified domestic suspicion.

These episodes cemented anti-communism as a defining feature of 20th-century U.S. politics.