The Effects of Communism in the 1950s

Karl Marx is often called the father of communism.

Based on the Marxist theories of German economist, politician and philosopher Karl Marx, communism is a political system that attempts to produce a classless society that one political party or person controls. Modern communism became a powerful political force after World War II. The 1950s were a time when the world was adjusting to the effects of communist regimes in the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, China and Korea.

Eastern Bloc

In 1955, the Warsaw Pact -- a Soviet-established treaty that eight communist states in Eastern Europe formed -- was founded. Those eight states were called the Eastern Bloc. A response to the NATO pact of 1954, the Warsaw Pact was enacted to ensure that Soviet-held territories would have protection from enemy invasion.

Korean War

Korea, which Japan occupied from 1905 to1945, was divided at the 38th parallel after World War II. The Soviet Union controlled North Korea while the United States controlled South Korea. Kim Il-sung, North Korea's founder, and Syngman Rhee were the leaders of the divided country. Kim was militarily equipped by the Soviets while the Americans limited the military of South Korea. In June 1950, the North Korean People's Army invaded the American-controlled South Korea. This invasion led to a war that lasted until July 1953. The armistice formed officially divided the country into communist North Korea and democratic South Korea.

McCarthyism

Joseph Raymond McCarthy served in the United States Senate between 1947 and 1957. In February 1950, the senator declared war between "communistic atheism and Christianity." He claimed the U.S. government had communist spies but could never verify the claims. The fear McCarthy's rhetoric caused led to thousands losing their job. In 1953 and 1954, the Senate held hearings and censured McCarthy.

Hydrogen Bomb Testing

Taken from the nuclear combination of hydrogen isotopes, a hydrogen bomb, or H-bomb, is made from uranium or plutonium. America's dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki started a race in which nations raced to find more powerful nuclear bombs. Enewetak, Marshall Islands, was the site of the first H-bomb testing in 1952. Russia tested its bomb in 1953, and in 1954, the United States dropped another H-bomb over Bikini Atoll, Marshall Island. France, China and Great Britain also tested nuclear bombs during the 1950s.

References

• "Karl Marx: The Story of His Life"; Franz Mehring Mehr; 2003
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Karl Marx
• The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition: Communism
• Michigan State University: Korea
• BBC History; The Korean War: An Overview; Michael Hickey; March 21, 2011
• Encyclopedia of Russian History; Warsaw Treaty Organization; Andrew A. Michta; 2004

Resources

• "A Cardboard Castle?: An Inside History...; Vojtech Mastney, et al.; 2005
• "Reds: McCarthyism in Twentieth-Century America"; Ted Morgan; 2004
• United States Senate: Historic Senate Hearings Published -- Joseph McCarthy Hearings