2.

Hunting Communists

2.1 The first Red Scare – 1920’s – Introduction

→ Historical context

In 1917, Russia was overthrown
and became a communist nation.
Vladimir Lenin cried out for a
revolution worldwide to abolish
capitalism everywhere.
The United States was the most capitalist
nation. Communism was at the time very
popular among immigrants working in
factories. This made a lot of Americans fear
that their democracy could be overthrown.

US attorney general Mitchell Palmer was
eager to combat the Red Scare. He did so by
breaking into the homes of alleged
communists and by arresting them. These
actions were called the Palmer Raids.
A lot of immigrants were deported without
trials; the US set limits on immigration
especially from Europe.
This led to a wave of nativism (anti-
immigration feeling) in the US.

→A special case: Watch the video and report to the class.

What kind of document is it?

Who is it about? What do we learn about the characters?
What is the issue tackled by this document?
What is the goal of this video?

1- This document is a trailer. The film seems to be a kind of non-fiction

documentary based on real events.
2- In the trailer of the film « Sacco and Vanzetti », we understand that these
two men were Italian immigrants. They were anarchists and had links
with the communist party which made them the ideal culprits. They were
arrested and judged for a crime they didn’t commit. Actually, they were
sued for who they were, not for something they did.
3- The issue tackled by the film is the injustice caused by prejudice. Ethnic
minorities are always looked upon with disdain and contempt.
4- The goal of the film is to make us understand that “if you are not a
conformist, if you don’t spouse the appropriate political view, your
chances of getting a fair trial are considerably diminished”.