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Menace of Our Time: The Long War Against American Communism
A survey of the far-reaching measures the U.S. government brought to bear against the CPUSA, from poison-pen letters to the Red Scare and beyond.
Beginning at the turn of the twentieth century and ending only with the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, the U.S. government and major elements in the wider society waged an unrelenting campaign to suppress and criminalize domestic communism. This long-overdue book details the longest and most extensive repressive operation ever undertaken by U.S. authorities against a domestic political organization that, however problematic, was largely operating within the scope of constitutionally mandated freedoms. Beyond that, this is the story of how systemic measures against U.S. communists—in contrast to the vaunted claims of American political freedom—defined the political landscape of the last century.
Menace of Our Time tracks the suppression efforts aimed at the group, including the state laws of the twenties that imprisoned the fledgling communist leadership; the tactics used by police and local authorities against communists as they fought for unions, racial equality, and the unemployed; the trials and imprisonment of communist leaders mid-century; the extra-legal efforts of the Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) in the sixties; and the ongoing, relentless surveillance by the FBI that followed. In examining the far-reaching measures the government brought to bear against the Communist Party USA, Aaron J. Leonard provides a clearer picture of the mechanics of social and political repression that abound in the society we still inhabit.
Beginning at the turn of the twentieth century and ending only with the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, the U.S. government and major elements in the wider society waged an unrelenting campaign to suppress and criminalize domestic communism. This long-overdue book details the longest and most extensive repressive operation ever undertaken by U.S. authorities against a domestic political organization that, however problematic, was largely operating within the scope of constitutionally mandated freedoms. Beyond that, this is the story of how systemic measures against U.S. communists—in contrast to the vaunted claims of American political freedom—defined the political landscape of the last century.
Menace of Our Time tracks the suppression efforts aimed at the group, including the state laws of the twenties that imprisoned the fledgling communist leadership; the tactics used by police and local authorities against communists as they fought for unions, racial equality, and the unemployed; the trials and imprisonment of communist leaders mid-century; the extra-legal efforts of the Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO) in the sixties; and the ongoing, relentless surveillance by the FBI that followed. In examining the far-reaching measures the government brought to bear against the Communist Party USA, Aaron J. Leonard provides a clearer picture of the mechanics of social and political repression that abound in the society we still inhabit.
216 pages, Hardcover
First published September 9, 2025
About the author
Aaron J. Leonard
7 books63 followersAaron J. Leonard is a writer and historian. His research interests focus on twentieth century US history, particularly Sixties history and the interplay between radicalism and governmental repression. He has a B.A. in History, from New York University. He lives in Los Angeles
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
April 27, 2026
This book helped connect the dots in my brain and fill in gaps in my knowledge about this time period!
December 5, 2025
Aaron J Leonard is an author and historian specializing on the interplay of radicalism and repression. In Menace of Our Time: The Long War Against American Communism Leonard surveys the U. S. government's opposition and measures against what is now called the Communist Party USA, almost from its inception.
Leonard moves chronologically across 11 chapters divided roughly into decade chunks, with some adjustment to match with critical national events such as World War II. Each of these chapters is made up of small sections of text headlined around a specific event or occurrence, succinctly summarizing events that have made up whole other works. Menace... is intended to be an overview focused on the repression of the Communist Party USA, but not just during the two major Red Scares.
By moving chronologically it shows the establishment of the Communist party, how it operating and then responded or adapted to the repression of the government. There was variation between the national government programs and then the smaller scales struggles in the states and their different laws. Those familiar will see reference or linkage to the Hatch Act, COINTELPRO or the balancing of the Communist Party as a separate entity from the Soviet Union.
It is straightforward in the narrative, full of horrors of mass surveillance, wide spread ignoring of constitutionally protected rights or abuses of power that showcase America has never been about freedom in general, but instead is about the protecting a certain idea of America, never mind who is harmed, neglected or sacrificed.
Recommended to readers or researchers of American History, governmental over reach or hypocrisy.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
Leonard moves chronologically across 11 chapters divided roughly into decade chunks, with some adjustment to match with critical national events such as World War II. Each of these chapters is made up of small sections of text headlined around a specific event or occurrence, succinctly summarizing events that have made up whole other works. Menace... is intended to be an overview focused on the repression of the Communist Party USA, but not just during the two major Red Scares.
By moving chronologically it shows the establishment of the Communist party, how it operating and then responded or adapted to the repression of the government. There was variation between the national government programs and then the smaller scales struggles in the states and their different laws. Those familiar will see reference or linkage to the Hatch Act, COINTELPRO or the balancing of the Communist Party as a separate entity from the Soviet Union.
It is straightforward in the narrative, full of horrors of mass surveillance, wide spread ignoring of constitutionally protected rights or abuses of power that showcase America has never been about freedom in general, but instead is about the protecting a certain idea of America, never mind who is harmed, neglected or sacrificed.
Recommended to readers or researchers of American History, governmental over reach or hypocrisy.
I received a free digital version of this book via NetGalley thanks to the publisher.
January 5, 2026
I feel quite harsh only giving this book a passing grade.
It's a thorough history, especially given the length of the text, but precisely because of the relative brevity of it Leonard is not able to go into much depth, develop any but the most significant characters, or give greater insights into the wider social perspective.
For anyone wanting a broad, somewhat sympathetic and well-researched social and political history of the CPUSA, this is the book for you! For those that have read other histories of the CPUSA or USian communist movement (or even listened to any of the author's recent podcast appearances promoting the book), however, there may not be a huge amount new in this one.
It's a thorough history, especially given the length of the text, but precisely because of the relative brevity of it Leonard is not able to go into much depth, develop any but the most significant characters, or give greater insights into the wider social perspective.
For anyone wanting a broad, somewhat sympathetic and well-researched social and political history of the CPUSA, this is the book for you! For those that have read other histories of the CPUSA or USian communist movement (or even listened to any of the author's recent podcast appearances promoting the book), however, there may not be a huge amount new in this one.
February 4, 2026
Incredibly helpful and currently being recommended to everyone I know.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews