"When a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be because of external enemies, but rather because of internal enemies." During the late 1940s and early 1950s, these words of Abraham Lincoln were all on the minds of Americans (McCarthyism). After fighting against communism for decades, the fear of it destroying the country terrified people's thoughts. Even more, people were extremely frightened by the idea that there might be communists under the spotlight of American influence who were plotting the destruction of the United States. A fear has swept the country for nearly a decade and transformed every aspect of American culture. This transformation began in the entertainment industry and that's where it hit the hardest. The fear of communism completely upended the industry and distorted everything that made American entertainment so distinct. Even today, the controversies of the 1940s and 1950s have left their mark on today's entertainment industry. Before the “Red Scare,” the United States was a huge world power and prospered in every aspect possible. His people could do what they wanted for the most part and did not have to fear persecution for their beliefs or associations. Entertainment was reaching its peak with celebrities creating the greatest films and writings the country had ever seen (Pearson). Everything changed in 1947, when President Harry Truman shook things up. Earlier in the year, Truman ordered background checks on all serving civilians. The results obtained from this investigation were unnerving. Alger Hiss, a senior State Department official, was revealed to be a Soviet spy. He was later convicted on espionage charges and served three years in prison. ...... middle of paper ...... and Mason University. NpWeb. February 16, 2014.Buhle, Georgakas, et al. University of Pennsylvania. Encyclopedia of the American Left, 1992.Web. January 16, 2014.Eckstein, Arthur. "The Hollywood Ten in History and Memory." History of cinema. 2004. Network. January 16, 2014. “The Hollywood Ten”. University of California Berkley. October 15, 2010. Web. January 16, 2014. Larder, Ring Jr. Interview by Michael Rosen. Archive of American Television. July 1999. Web.16 January 2014.Lev, Peter. Transforming the Screen: 1950-1959. University of California Press. London, England: Charles Scriber's Sons, 2003. Print. "McCarthyism". History of the United States. 2008. Network. January 16, 2014. Pearson, Glenda. “The Red Scare: A Filmography.” The All Powers Project. March 5, 1998.University of Washington Libraries. Network. January 16, 2014.Simkin, Giovanni. “Hollywood ten”. Educational Spartacus. NP Web. 16 January. 2014.