What shaped Australia fear of communism in the 50s?
The fear of communism that reached fever-pitch during the 50’s was the result of events that began soon after the end of WW11. Winston Churchill first announced to the world in 1946, after the settlement at Yalta, that the Soviet Union had taken control of Central and Eastern Europe. Churchill became the first to use the term: “iron curtain”, in describing Soviet communist intent. From this time onwards, policies were enacted on both sides of the curtain, the sum of which would later become known as the “Cold War”. The phenomenon of anti-communist paranoia began in the US, principally put in the public’s mind by Senator Joseph McCarthy in the late 40’s. At his direction, the US became the stage for the most extraordinary witch-hunt since the Spanish Inquisition. When China became communist under the leadership of Chairman Mao in 1949, the western powers had became concerned. Australia, along with most of the West, became embroiled in the anti-communist propaganda which was published an
