The big " Red Scare" of 1919-1920 resulted in a nationwide crusade against left wingers whose Americanism was suspected.   Hysterical fears of Red Russia continued to plague America thinking for several years after the Bolshevik revolution of 1917. The Red Scare's resulted from the government's efforts to gain favorable support for the United States entry to the "war to end all wars." Woodrow Wilson spent most of his efforts in spreading anti-German and pro allied propagandaby passing the Espionage Act of 1917, and the Sedition act of 1918.   The Espionage act made it "a crime to interfere with the operation or success of the military," and the sedition act outlawed Americans to use "disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language" regarding the U.S. flag, armed forces, or the government during the time of war. the first red scare is the fear among americans from communism after the war. High prices and frustrated union organizing drives resuled in an epidemic of strikes that hurt the republic. Bomb-and -whisker Bolsheviks were also believed to fuel labor problems, according to fanatical americans.   Many events took place during the red scare, like when a shipload of 249 alleged alien radicals were deported on the Buford to the "workers' paradise" of Russia. Another event was during September 1920, when a bomb blasted on wall street killing thirty-eight people and wounded several hundred others. Many anarchists during this time were angered by how the government treated foreigners, and as a response they set up a series of bombings in 1919.   There were a total of 30 bombs that targeted politicians, judges, business men, and a bureau of investigation agent. Anti-redism and anti foreignism was present during this time and was reflected in a case defined by liberals as a "judicial lynching." Nicola Sacco, a shoe factory worker, and Bartolommeo Vanzetti, a fish peddler, were with murder of a Massachusetts paymaster and his guard. The jury and judge showed some degree of prejudice against the defendants because they were Italians, atheist, anarchists, and draft dodgers. This sparked an involvement of Liberals and radicals all over the world to aid the two defendants. In The case dragged on for six years until 1927 when the condemned men were electrocuted. The evidence against the accused, though damaging, betrayed serious weaknesses.   If the trial had been held in an atmosphere less charged with anti redism, the outcome might well have been only a prison term. In 1920, a powerful bomb containing 100 pounds of dynamite and 500 pounds of fragmented steel exploded in front of the offices of the J.P. Morgan Company, killing 38 people and injuring 400 innocent lives. The bombs endangered a wide list of official targets, which were all traced back to militant followers of the Italian anarchist Luigi Galleani.

            Luigi Galleani was one of the many prominent figures during the 1920s, next to gangster Al Capone, Sacco and Vanzetti, and Langston Hughes. During the red scare phenomenon, many publications were disrupted, as well as Galleani's cronana sovversiva which advocated the overthrow of the government and advertised the booklet Health is in you!, which concealed instructions on how to make a bomb.   Luigi Galleani attracted many militant followers with his beliefs, whom were titled Galleanists, and were the ones held accountable for the 1919 bombings.   There were many gangsters that were prominent during this decade, especially because of the speakeasies.   The illegal bars known as speakeasies were originally formed in the mid 1920s.   These bars were the result of prohibition (illegal use, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of alcohol), which was made possible by the issuing of the 18 th amendment.   Speakeasies were illegal bars that gave illegal alcohol to patrons who wanted to go against the law and buy alcohol. These bars were said to be luxurious because they usually contained drinking, entertainment, singers, and vaudeville acts.   Prohibition might have started off on a better foot if there had been a larger army of enforcement officials. But the state and federal agencies were understaffed, and their snoopers, susceptible to bribery, were underpaid.   The public was increasingly distressed as scores of people, including innocent bystanders, were killed by quick triggered dry agents. Prohibition simply did not prohibit. Al Capone was the most powerful gang leader in the 1920s. Capone made a fortune for manufacturing and selling illegal booze to the speakeasies.   He was also notorious for bribing politicians, and judges. Gangsters rapidly moved into other profitable and illicit activities: prostitution, gambling, and narcotics. Honest merchants were forced to pay "protection money" to the organized thugs; otherwise their windows would be smashed, their trucks overturned, or their employees or themselves beaten up.

The 1920s was marked by the Harlem renaissance for its movement of black poets and writers, blind patriotism, and the spread of dance marathons.   The Harlem renaissance originated from Harlem, NY. During this time many black authors, musicians, and poets received their 1 st serious appraisal. People from this movement include: Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and Alaine Locke. The bombings in 1919 sparked a sense of patriotism throughout the continent leading to violent acts by the people. An example of one of these violent actions would be when Wesley Everest, a Wobblie, was dragged from his prison and hanged. Later on, anarchist Luigi Galleani was deported along with eight of his followers because of Galleani's influence of the violent overthrow of the government. Anarchist retaliation came soon after that with the continuation of their "bombing campaign," which culminated with the assassination attempt of trial judge Webster Thayer. Another popular trend in the 1920s was the dance marathons, which began around 1923. This was basically a competition where you literally had to "dance till you dropped." These dances would become very popular during the depression because of the many out of work people who would come to compete for cash decade prizes.

The 1920s was the of new fads, fashion, and technology as well as the infamous red scare phenomenon.   Even so the 1920s had its ups and downs the Harlem renaissance and the dance marathons made the decade memorable.   America suffered because of their fear of another country's government issues.   As a result, America started picking off suspected innocent people, and created the first domino to a series of violent acts and movements.   The speakeasies also brought some temptation for illegal pleasure in alcohol and entertainment. But the Harlem renaissance and the dance marathons would even out violence and temptation with fun and African American culture.   Many people would call this decade the "roaring 1920s", but it was a period in Americas history where Americans revealed their flaws of blind patriotism and senseless violence from fear, as well as their emotional and fun side .

INTERNET SITES

• "www.google.com". 16 Jan.2008 < http://rpp.english.ucsb.edu/wp-content/uploads/2006/08/weiss_hughes-portrait.jpg>.
• "www.google.com". 16 Jan 2008. < http://www.goodbeer.com/Media/prohibition.jpg>
• "First Red Scare." "wikipedia.org." 2 oct. 2007.<http://en.wikipeida.org/wiki/First_Red_Scare>.

BOOK CITES

• Bailey, Thomas, Cohen Lizabeth, Kennedy, David. The American Pageant , thirteenth edition. Boston .2006.
• Monroe, Judy. The Sacco and Vanzetti controversial murder trial. Berkeley Heights, NJ:Enslow Publishers, inc. 2000.