ABSTRACT
The New Leader regularly scoffed at the fearful, pointing out in 1948 that polls inspired confidence. “The overwhelming majority of Americans are definitely not hysterical: there is no approval of witch-hunting nor war-mongering, there is only a firm will to resist submission to Moscow.” Anti-Stalinists did not have a monopoly on foolishness. In 1951 The Nation filed a suit against the New Leader for libel and slander. As the most intransigently anti-Communist liberal publication, the New Leader had often savaged The Nation, which usually stood above the battle, seldom replying in kind. Liberals were reluctant to admit that they had been wrong about Communism and the Soviets in the past. Like other critics Trilling unfairly lumped all liberals together, doing an injustice to the anti-Stalinist minority of the 1930s and ’40s which had steadfastly opposed the progressive intellectuals.
