What was the "Second Red Scare" primarily characterized by?

The "Second Red Scare," which took place primarily during the late 1940s through the 1950s, was primarily characterized by an intense fear of communist infiltration in the United States government and other institutions. This period was marked by concerns about the influence of Soviet communism, especially in the context of the Cold War. Such fears led to various actions, including the rise of McCarthyism, where Senator Joseph McCarthy became notorious for making unfounded accusations against individuals in government, entertainment, and academia, alleging they were communists or communist sympathizers.

The backdrop of the Second Red Scare included significant global events, such as the success of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia, the establishment of communist governments in Eastern Europe, the Chinese Communist Revolution, and the Korean War. These events contributed to a heightened sensitivity to any perceived threats of subversion within the United States.

In contrast to the other options: fears of economic collapse were more characteristic of earlier periods, particularly during the Great Depression; fears of military invasion from Korea, while relevant during the active conflict in the Korean War, were not the central focus of the domestic political atmosphere of the era; and fears of nuclear war, although significant, were typically tied to broader Cold War