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

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What had happened to reduce the Communism threat by the time McNamara took over as Secretary of Defense?
(a) Cuba had instituted its own version of Communism.
(b) McCarthy had purged Communists from American politics.
(c) Communism had failed in North Korea.
(d) Russia and China had split.

2. On which issue does Halberstam say Kennedy compromised with the military?
(a) The use of napalm.
(b) Bombing in the north.
(c) The use of jets.
(d) Free fire zones.

3. How did Kennedy see Adlai Stevenson?
(a) He saw Adlai Stevenson as principled.
(b) He saw Adlai Stevenson as an ideologue.
(c) He saw Adlai Stevenson as lazy.
(d) He saw Adlai Stevenson as indecisive.

4. What made McGeorge Bundy an effective administrator?
(a) He listened to others and used their ideas.
(b) He could sense what others were thinking and what they needed.
(c) He had a rigid sense of principle.
(d) He did not brook opposition.

5. Whose input did the French and Americans ignore about Vietnam, in Halberstam's account?
(a) Generals.
(b) Diplomats.
(c) Military advisers.
(d) Lower-level officers.

6. What was Kennedy's position on the Cold War policies of his predecessors?
(a) He was going to improve on them.
(b) He did not want to follow them.
(c) He was going to end them.
(d) He was going to continue them.

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

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

9. What does Halberstam say was the result of the Chinese Revolution and the McCarthy period?
(a) The U.S. sought out diplomatic solutions.
(b) The U.S. strengthened trade ties in Europe.
(c) The U.S. took an aggressive stance toward Communism.
(d) The U.S. took pre-emptive action against Communism.

10. What did the Geneva Convention decide in Vietnam?
(a) It divided the country in two, a north and a south.
(b) It determined how prisoners of war would be exchanged.
(c) It sanctioned the north for its attacks on the south.
(d) It established a procedure for holding elections.

11. Why does Halberstam say Harkins had a hard time firing one of his people in the Mekong Delta?
(a) He was told that there would be too many repercussions.
(b) He was discouraged from using his authority.
(c) He knew the person needing to be fired personally.
(d) He was told that everything was under control there.

12. Why did the Americans back down on demands for reform in Vietnam in 1962, in Halberstam's account?
(a) Diem had begun to renege on his promises.
(b) They lost confidence that reforms could be implemented.
(c) Diem could not afford reforms.
(d) Reforms had already been accomplished.

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

14. What did Kennedy represent to Eleanor Roosevelt's followers?
(a) The new breed.
(b) Foreigners.
(c) Businessmen.
(d) Old guard.

15. What did the fact-finding mission discover at about the time of the problem with the Buddhist monks?
(a) Diem was not on top of the situation.
(b) The North was expanding its recruitment.
(c) Vast corruption.
(d) The U.S. was unprepared for guerilla warfare.

Short Answer Questions

1. What had Robert Lovett been before entering government?

2. What did Robert Lovett remember about Kennedy after the assassination?

3. What were Eleanor Roosevelt's feelings about Kennedy?

4. Why didn't Kennedy offer the position of Secretary of State to J. William Fulbright?

5. Where was the war going well, at the time when the White House was losing faith in Diem, according to Halberstam?

(see the answer keys)

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