Assignment #6

'On June 9, the hearings reached their moment of greatest drama, when McCarthy attacked a young legal aide of Joseph Nye Welch (Army Chief Counsel). The aide, Fred Fisher, had once worked for the National Lawyers Guild (an organization with communist ties) and Welch had advised him to stay away from the hearings for his own good. Even though the man was not present, McCarthy impugned his character. Welch’s reply became famous: “Until this moment, senator, I think I never gauged your cruelty or recklessness .... Have you no sense of decency, sir, at long last? Have you left no sense of decency?” When McCarthy attempted to respond, Welsh cut him off demanding that the chairman call the next witness. Hesitating for a moment, the silent gallery broke into applause. McCarthy was stunned. The hearings drew to an inconclusive finish shortly afterwards.' -- http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h1769.html


This is part of an article that I just read about McCarthy attacking the Army. It was a highly publicized event that they say about 22 million people watched in TV. I like this part of the article because it was the government official finally getting back at McCarthy for what he was doing and finally taking a stand and getting a say. I think it was very brave of this man to say those things to McCarthy because obviously McCarthy has no problem throwing people under the bus and Welsh just made himself able to be the next person he attacked. I am glad that someone did it though.