Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin damaged many lives and reputations in his zealous hunt for communists. When McCarthy accused distinguished U.S. Army officers of subversion, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered a secret investigation of McCarthy’s dealings with the Army. A report revealed that McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn had actively sought special privileges for their former aide, Pvt. G. David Schine.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
Chronology of Efforts Made by Senator McCarthy . . . to Put Pressure on the Army . . . , by John Adams, March 11, 1954
The Senate Investigates One of Its Own
Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin grabbed the nation’s attention in 1950 when he alleged communist influence in the U.S. Department of State. He pursued and expanded his allegations as chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations. Four years later, McCarthy and Committee Counsel Roy Cohn became subjects of that committee’s investigation when the Army charged them with influence peddling to help a former aide. The hearings were televised, and McCarthy’s behavior before a national audience precipitated his downfall.
In 1954 the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations examined conflicting accusations between the U.S. Army and Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin. Televised hearings revealed McCarthy’s underhanded tactics in identifying political subversives, ultimately ending his career.
Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin damaged many lives and reputations in his zealous hunt for communists. When McCarthy accused distinguished U.S. Army officers of subversion, President Dwight D. Eisenhower ordered a secret investigation of McCarthy’s dealings with the Army. A report revealed that McCarthy and lawyer Roy Cohn had actively sought special privileges for their former aide, Pvt. G. David Schine.
The Dwight D. Eisenhower Library
