Author Karen Zeinert follows the rise and fall of McCarthyism and anti-Communist hysteria in the United States from its roots in the straining of American-Soviet relations after the Bolshevik Revolution and how it led to the "witch hunt" atmosphere of the Cold War. Zeinert details the fearful climate of the post-World War II years and how those like McCarthy took advantage to sustain an anti-Communist movement, smearing the reputations of many innocent Americans. The author also examines how the age of McCarthyism finally came to an end as the perceived threat of communism faded when the Soviet Union declined.