78. McCarthyism: The Fall of Joseph McCarthy (Ep 5)

About this episode

This episode explores the downfall of Joseph McCarthy during the Army-McCarthy hearings and the implications of the Lavender scare.

What happened when Joseph McCarthy turned his communist-catching energy on the army? What film, directed by Elia Kazan and starring Marlon Brando, is viewed as an allegory for the McCarthy hearings? In what ways did the ‘Lavender scare’ subtext influence the investigations into Roy Cohn? What famous line brought down the reputation of this ‘red-scare’ fuelling demagogue? Sarah Churchwell and David Olusoga look at the Army-McCarthy hearings and the spectacularly public downfall of Joseph McCarthy. Email: journeythroughtime@goalhanger.com X: @ThroughTimePod Blue Sky: @ThroughTimePod Instagram: @JourneyThroughTimePod Social Producer: Emma Jackson Assistant Producers: Alfie Rowe, Alfie Norris Producer: Alice Horrell Head of History: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

People in this episode

Guests: Sarah Churchwell, David Olusoga

Topics covered

• McCarthyism
• Joseph McCarthy
• Army-McCarthy hearings
• Lavender scare
• political downfall
• historical analysis

Keywords

• McCarthyism
• Joseph McCarthy
• Army-McCarthy hearings
• Lavender scare
• politics
• history
• Elia Kazan
• Marlon Brando

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Elia Kazan, Marlon Brando

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