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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What issue had Kennedy and Dean Rusk had to discuss when Dean Rusk was offered the Secretary of State job?
(a) Finances.
(b) Family values.
(c) Rusk's Judaism.
(d) Personal morality.

2. What position had Robert Lovett been appointed to in 1947?
(a) Undersecretary of State.
(b) Secretary of the Interior.
(c) Secretary of State.
(d) Secretary of Defense.

3. How did the Kennedy administration see the war in Vietnam?
(a) As a boon to the military contractors.
(b) As a war against Communism.
(c) As a gift to Asian allies.
(d) As a diversion from domestic problems.

4. What was the recommendation that came out of the fact-finding mission of 1961?
(a) That the U.S. commit military advisers.
(b) That the U.S. send 8,000 troops.
(c) That the U.S. commit 20,000 troops.
(d) That the U.S. send 100,000 troops.

5. Which of these was NOT a point of disagreement between the White House and the military, in Halberstam's account?
(a) The commitment of advisers.
(b) The use of napalm.
(c) The use of jets.
(d) The free fire zones.

6. What had McNamara done by the time he took over as Secretary of Defense?
(a) Instituted successful reforms at Ford.
(b) Reviewed American foreign policy.
(c) Studied and identified the problems at the Pentagon.
(d) Consulted with Kennedy about his goals and methods.

7. Why didn't Kennedy formulate a China policy, in Halberstam's account?
(a) China was experiencing a revolution.
(b) His China advisor had not been confirmed.
(c) He didn't have time.
(d) China was not a high priority.

8. Whose theories had been used as the basis for expanded militarization in the late 1940s?
(a) Chester Bowles'.
(b) Robert McNamara's.
(c) George Kennan's.
(d) McGeorge Bundy's.

9. What position did the Kennedy administration take with regard to nuclear disarmament?
(a) Kennedy wanted to show Kruschev that he was tough.
(b) Kennedy wanted to eliminate nuclear weapons altogether.
(c) Kennedy wanted to reduce the number of nuclear weapons to a reasonable number.
(d) Kennedy wanted to make sure that the U.S. and Russia had comparable arsenals.

10. How did Kennedy's followers feel about Chester Bowles' ideas?
(a) They did not appreciate them.
(b) They were inspired by them.
(c) They were looking for ways to follow them.
(d) They were antithetical to them.

11. How did McNamara achieve his goals while he was at Ford?
(a) He intimidated his inferiors.
(b) He inspired his underlings with rhetoric.
(c) He got his people to compete against each other.
(d) He used a bonus system.

12. How does Halberstam say Dean Rusk felt about his interview with Kennedy for the Secretary of State job?
(a) He did not know whether he could serve under Kennedy.
(b) Not well.
(c) He felt he had not been articulate enough.
(d) Superbly.

13. What state does Halberstam say the Vietcong were in when Kennedy sent the fact-finding mission in 1961?
(a) They had opposition in the civilian populace.
(b) They were using guerilla tactics ineffectively.
(c) They were committed and had good leadership.
(d) They were fragmented and plagued with in-fighting.

14. Which cabinet member was opposed to the Bay of Pigs invasion?
(a) McGeorge Bundy.
(b) Dean Rusk.
(c) Chester Bowles.
(d) Robert McNamara.

15. What policy did Rostow support in Vietnam?
(a) An appeasement policy.
(b) An aggressive anti-Communist policy.
(c) Battleship diplomacy.
(d) A policy of rapprochement.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who was Kennedy's military analyst on the 1961 fact-finding mission?

2. What does Halberstam say was the sense in the Kennedy administration as they came into office?

3. What issue did Joseph McCarthy use to energize voters?

4. When Kennedy did not authorize more troops, what does Halberstam say he told the Pentagon?

5. On which issue does Halberstam say the military lost its battle with the White House?

(see the answer keys)

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