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This test consists of 5 multiple choice questions, 5 short answer questions, and 10 short essay questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. While Ex Comm was making final decisions regarding their recommendations, JFK was where?
(a) Washington D.C.
(b) New York.
(c) Russia.
(d) Chicago.

2. In the section "Tuesday morning, October 16, 1962 . . .," why were initial reports of missiles in Cuba not passed on to the President?
(a) They needed to be rechecked.
(b) They were passed on to the President, but were ignored.
(c) They were reports from double agents.
(d) They were lies.

3. How did the members of Ex Comm avoid arousing suspicion when visiting the White House at 9:15 at night?
(a) They took the secret entrance.
(b) Not all went to the meeting.
(c) They arrived at different times.
(d) They all rode with Robert.

4. What was one requirement of the blockade plan?
(a) A meeting with the Organization of American States.
(b) A promise to withdraw weapons from Berlin.
(c) That no ships could pass the blockade.
(d) All ship that enter the blockade be inspected.

5. Who said, "they, no more than we, can let these things go by without doing something. They can't after all their statements, permit us to take out their missiles, kill a lot of Russians, and then do nothing. If they don't take action in Cuba, they certainly will in Berlin" (28)?
(a) General Shoup.
(b) General LeMay.
(c) Robert F. Kennedy.
(d) John F. Kennedy.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who said that Russia only wanted to "give bread to Cuba in order to prevent hunger in that country" (34)?

2. In the section entitled, "It was now up to one single man," when did JFK hope to broadcast his plan to the nation?

3. On October 18th, photographs showed what disturbing new information?

4. Which group was created "for the purpose of effective conduct of the operations of the executive branch in the current crisis" (45)?

5. When did John F. Kennedy call his brother, Robert, to the White House to discuss the photographs taken over Cuba?

Short Essay Questions

1. What information did the Intelligence Community have about the missiles in September, but did not inform the President about at that time? Why were they not passed on?

2. Which countries immediately supported the U.S. in the decision for a blockade? Why did JFK favor a blockade over a surgical air strike?

3. How did RFK feel about his fellow members of in Ex Comm?

4. What distinguishes Thirteen Days as a memoir (besides the subtitle) and not just an autobiography?

5. Why is the "great danger and risk in all of this . . . a miscalculation -- a mistake in judgment" (49)?

6. How did JFK feel about the reaction from Congress when he informed them about the crisis and his plans?

7. What was one argument against a blockade?

8. Why does RFK defend Adlai Stevenson's suggestion?

9. Why does JFK bring up the book The Guns of August by Barbara Tuchman?

10. What did the military and JFK do to respond to the submarine situation?

(see the answer keys)

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