Coursera Spring Sale
40% Off Coursera Plus Annual!
Grab it
Explore the rise of anticommunism and the development of America's national security state in this 57-minute university lecture examining the post-World War II era. Delve into how prosperity and fear of the "red menace" shaped American society and politics during the early Cold War period. Learn about the transformation of American institutions and civil liberties as the nation grappled with communist threats both real and perceived. Analyze the ways in which anticommunist sentiment influenced domestic policy, foreign relations, and the very definition of what it meant to be American during this pivotal period in U.S. history. Examine the creation of new security apparatus and the impact of McCarthyism on American society, politics, and culture. This lecture forms part of Yale University's comprehensive examination of American history from 1776 to the present, delivered as part of the prestigious DeVane Lecture series in preparation for America's 250th anniversary in 2026.
