mid+20th+century+Army-+McCarthy+hearings+(1954)+a

=Army-McCarthy hearings (1954)=

Overview
== Republic Senator Joseph McCarthy had become one of Americas most notorious politician during 1954 and possible during the Mid 20th Century through his relentless campaign to uncover Communism in the nations government. His attacks soon focused on the U.S Army in 1953. McCarthy announced that his intent was to locate an alleged espionage ring within the U.S Army.The hearing between McCarthy and the U.S Army was the first televised hearing in the U.S, known as the Army-McCarthy hearings of 1954. Disputes raged on between McCarthy and the Army, over 188 hours of broadcast time was aired on national television for the country to witness the demise of Joseph McCarthy. The televised coverage of the hearing exposed McCarthy obnoxious allegations and ruined his reputation.

Critical Issue
When the trial began McCarthy attacked General Ralph W. Zwicker during the investigation and insulted Zwicker’s intelligence and commented that he was not fit to wear the uniform. The Army stuck back, releasing a report charging that McCarthy and his aide, Roy Cohn, had pressured the Army to give favored treatment to G. David Schine, a former McCarthy aide who had been drafted. McCarthy counter-charged that the Army was using Schine as a hostage to exert pressure on McCarthy not to expose communists within its ranks. On June 9, the hearings reached their moment of greatest drama, when McCarthy attacked a young legal aid of Joseph Nye Welch (Army Chief Counsel). The aide, Fred Fisher, had once worked for the National Lawyers Guild (an organization with communist ties). McCarthy attacked fisher’s character, but it proved nothing as did every other argument McCarthy proposed. The hearings drew to an inconclusive finish shortly afterward.

Conclusion/Historical Significance
The televised coverage of the case allowed the nation to witness the downfall of Joseph McCarthy. He had failed to give any compelling evidence that a single person with any relation to communism was within the U.S Army. McCarthyism had come to an end, which was the politically motivated practice of making accusations of disloyalty, subversion, or treason without proper regard for evidence. Soon after the trial the Senate voted by a 2/3 margin to censure McCarthy. Though he was not expelled from office he lost most of his power. McCarthy also lost his reputation and respect to the American audience during the Army-McCarthy Hearing of 1954.