This particular era (from about 1950 to 1956)  was sparked by Joseph Raymond McCarthy's idea about communism in the United States'government.This was a period of political spitefulness and mass hysteria.In 1950, McCarthy had said that there were communists inthe Department of State.This accusation was never proven, and the public didn't pay attention to McCarthy's words in the early years of this era.During the year of 1953, McCarthy became chairman of the Senate subcommittee on investigations.This made his accusations even moreso.Throughout the following years he continued to make his ideas about the government known.In 1954 he accused the secretary of the army of concealing foreign espionage activities. McCarthy started investigating all of his accusations, but was brought up on charges of improper means of investigation, the charges were dropped.
	One will see in the play The Crucible by Arthur Miller that the United States basically dispised Russia, during the 1950's, because Russia was communist.The United States named Russia "The Devil" (according to the play), because of their communistic ways and dictatorship over the people."The necessity of the Devil may become evident as a weapon, a weapon designed and used time and time again in every age to whip men into surrender to a particular church or church-state."1 Besides what Miller's idea of what communism is, he also has an idea that if one is not communist, or against communism, then they are for the United States government, and if a U.S.citizen does not have the same reactions towards capitalistic "doings" as the rest of the country, then that citizen is considered to be communist, according to Miller."In the countries of the Communist ideology, all resistance of any import is linkedto the totally malign capitalist succubi, and in america any man who is not reactionary in his views  is open to the charges of alliance with the Red Hell."2 This is a very important statement because of how it links the views of Miller to the accusations of McCarthy.
	Basically by linking these two together, one can come to the conclusion that the United States is a hypocrite(according to the two oppions).Arthur Miller says that the U.S.dislikes Russia because Russia is communist, and that Russia is "The Devil" and "Red Hell", but according to McCarthythe U.S.it's self  has a government made up of communists.Then, reading more of Miller's oppions, one can come to the conclusion that according to Miller, McCarthy is a communist.Miller says that if one has different views then the rest of the country (like McCarthy) then they are communist.With all of McCarthy's accusations he was clearly against the views of the United State's government.     Both McCarthy and Miller have different views on the same subject, but when linked together, one can come up with manydifferent conclusions about McCarthy, Miller, the United States andit's government. 
ENDNOTES

1)Miller, Arthur; The Crucible; Penguin Books inc.   New York, 1976.Page 34.2) 
2)Miller, page 34


BIBLIOGRAPHY

   Funk and Wagnalls New Encyclopedia,   vol.16; Funk and Wagnalls inc.   Chicago, 1988.
   
   Kennan, Geoge F., Memories 1950-1963;   Little Brown and Co.; Boston, 1982.   

   Miller, Arthur, The Crucible;   Penguin Books U.S.A inc., N.Y.; 
1976.