Society encourages conformity by setting trends and standards that if you don't meet them you are outcast and looked down upon. Take for example sexuality not long ago if you weren't heterosexual you were seen as less and encouraged to change to fit in. Another example is school. If you don't do things popular kids do or pressure you to do you are "punished" one way or another.. Also take slavery for example. If the slaves didn't conform and follow directions perfectly and correctly when they were told they were beaten. Slaves were beaten in to submission. Slavery is a good example to use because everybody knows about slavery.
People felt threatened by communism and were afraid it could eventually reach the US and they would then loose their personal freedom. So they believed communism must be contained - and the war was a step towards containing the war.
