Americans Struggle With Postwar Issues

After World War I, many Americans feared that Communists would take over the country.

1. How did the Justice Department under A. Mitchell Palmer respond to this fear?

The Justice Department under Palmer responded to this fear by severely abusing citizens' civil rights. They sought out and investigated every suspect accused of Communism, socialism, or anarchism; these "investigations" involved invading homes without warrants, jailing people without trial, and deporting immigrants without proper cause or trial.
2. Why did Palmer eventually lose his standing with the American public?

Palmer's investigations did not produce any evidence of either explosives or a revolution; people began to think his actions were more of a campaign gimmick than a serious issue.
3. How did the Ku Klux Klan respond to this fear?

The KKK responded to this fear by proclaiming it's "100 percent Americanism" theory far and wide. They used America's dislike of Communism as an excuse to terrorize any minority group - from Jews to Roman-Catholics to blacks to immigrants, no one who was not white, native born, and a gentile was not safe from the KKK's wrath.
4. Why did the Klan eventually lose popularity and membership?

Although the Klan maintained popularity for quite some time, eventually it's history of criminal activity discouraged people from joining its ranks.
5. Briefly describe how Sacco and Vanzetti became victims of the Red Scare.

Both men were Italian immigrants, anarchists, and had evaded the draft. They were arrested in May of 1920 and accused of murdering a factory paymaster and his guard; the witnesses had said that the suspects "appeared to be Italian." Although both men had alibis and the trial was not fair, they were still found guilty and were given the death sentence. Although protests rang out throughout the US, the mind of the Massachusetts governor could not be swayed, and the two men died on August 23, 1927.

Public opinion turned against labor unions as many Americans came to believe that unions encouraged communism.

6. Why was the strike by Boston police unpopular with the public?

The public was outraged that their safety was being put at risk; without the police being active, they were being put in danger.
7. Why did Massachusetts governor Calvin Coolidge become so popular?

In response to the Boston police strike, Coolidge had called in the National Guard. He was immediately praised for saving the city and the state, not to mention the nation, from the throes of anarchy and Communism.
8. Why was the strike at U.S. Steel unpopular?

The strike at U.S. Steel was unpopular because it resulted in much violence. Strike workers were treated violently by strikebreakers, the police, the militia, and federal troops. Also, factory owners resulted to propaganda to link the strikers to Communism. The public was so sick of war that the warlike tactics used in the strike were highly unpopular.
9. How did President Wilson respond to the steel strike?

Wilson responded to the steel strike by making a written plea to the negotiators of the strike (the labor side and the management side). In this plea he presented the aforementioned view of not using warlike tactics so soon after a real war had just ended.