McCarthyism: A term used to describe the tactics employed by Senator Joseph McCarthy during the second red scare in the 1950s, which involved making unsubstantiated accusations against alleged communists.
HUAC (House Un-American Activities Committee): A congressional committee established in 1938 that investigated alleged disloyalty and subversive activities related to communism in various sectors of American society.
Cold War: The geopolitical tension between the United States and Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991 that involved competition for influence without direct military conflict.