Question

1. What can you infer from the primary source about the purpose of this piece of literature?

Answer 1

Answer:

Find the explanation below.

Explanation:

1. The primary source which is a telegram from Senator Joseph McCarthy to President Henry S. Truman was meant to raise suspicions of personnel's within the United States government whom he referred to as Communists. This happened at a time when the citizens of the United States were apprehensive about communists because of possible links to the Soviet Union.

2. The author intended that the President take his claims seriously by fishing out the names of those within the State Department whom he claimed were communists, prosecuting them, and possibly relieve them of their services.

3. The Senator was trying to be controversial. He wanted to gain cheap political points and also curry favor with the people so that he can be seen as a Senator that worked hard to prevent threats to the American nation. Then, he would be re-elected by the people in his second term.

4. This telegram helps us to see how certain political leaders can promote policies for their selfish interests and not necessarily for the people. It also shows how tense the relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union was after World War II.