Cold War
The Cold War was all-consuming during the 1950s. It started just after World War 2 when the Russians developed the atomic bomb and tensions increased between the Western world and the Communist Eastern Bloc. The tension between the two blocs increased with the Korean War to the point that people were truly and seriously scared. There were bomb drills all over the United States. As with most anything, good or bad, there is someone who will take advantage of the situation for personal gain. Enter Senator Joseph McCarthy .