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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 3 page paper gives an indepth review of Melvyn Leffler's book, The Specter of Communism. Quotes cited from text. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_MBlefler.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
truth is that communism wasnt a concern to the United States until after WWII, when the communist began to rival democratic capitalism.(thesis) Melvyn Leffler uses historical documents which evidence the
fact that communism was never really a threat to the United States, but merely gave the US the excuse to undertake other decisive actions in the world and to increase
governmental spending to the utmost. Leffler states that "American officials had concluded as early as 1940 that they could not live in a world dominated by totalitarian nations, even
if these powers refrained from attacking the United States" (Leffler VII). This overall sentiment was what propelled the United States into the Cold War. As such, ironically enough, communism had
not been a problem or a concern during World War II. In fact, the US could have cared less as long as Russia was not fighting for the Germans.
This sentiment seems to have been carried along into the aftermath of realignment that occurred in the US government after WWII. "It was the specter of communism
at home rather than the power of Russian Bolshevism abroad that fueled anti-communist rhetoric" (Leffler 25). Basically, from the evidence presented by Leffler, a fairly good propaganda campaign was undertaken
to promote hostility and fear in the American public. As such, then, liberals and progressives were able to sell their programs and justify their expenditures in the name of homeland
security. If that has a familiar ring, it should. In response to the hysteria which had been fueled, the Smith Act was passed, Leffler writes, making it illegal for anyone
to belong to an organization which sought to overthrow the US government. Nearly twenty-one states required loyalty oaths to be taken by teachers and the Communist Party was banned from
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