Born November 14, 1908
Appleton, Wisconsin
Died May 2, 1957
Bethesda, Maryland

U.S. senator

Joseph McCarthy, an infamous and highly controversial U.S. senator from Wisconsin, became America's leading anticommunist figure. His influence peaked between 1950 and 1953. McCarthy gained national attention by asserting that communists had infiltrated the U.S. government at its highest levels. Some called McCarthy a patriot; others accused him of making vicious, untrue charges against innocent Americans, ruining their careers. McCarthy's sensationalized committee investigations greatly contributed to the anticommunist hysteria sweeping the country. The United States' diplomatic efforts toward the communist countries of the Soviet Union, Eastern Europe, and Asia were adversely affected for several decades.

Pre-Senate years

Joseph Raymond McCarthy was the fifth...