In the first era directly after World War II, the American populace was scrambling to get things back to the way they were, to find comfort in normal life again. Of course, just as one war ended, another was brewing, this time between the U.S. and Russia in a Cold War that would span decades to come. This conflict created a panic among Americans for the potential presence of any Communist sympathizers in the United States who, in their minds, would bring with them the downfall of their country. From this alarm (as well as, of course, plenty of other external factors) came the Joseph MacCarthy's rampant hearings accusing numerous individuals of having Communist ties or sympathies.
