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

Multiple Choice Questions

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

2. What does Halberstam say McNamara learned that he had to do in order to argue against nuclear weapons?
(a) Demonize his opponents.
(b) Make emotional appeals to the electorate.
(c) Make a good argument for conventional weapons.
(d) Discredit military analysts in favor of nuclear weapons.

3. Where was the war going well, at the time when the White House was losing faith in Diem, according to Halberstam?
(a) In the Mekong Delta.
(b) Around Saigon.
(c) In Quang Nam.
(d) In Pleiku.

4. What did Chester Bowles think was the most important issue to confront?
(a) Race issues.
(b) Poverty.
(c) Budget cuts.
(d) Military expansion.

5. Whom had Eleanor Roosevelt wanted Kennedy to appoint as Secretary of State?
(a) Chester Bowles.
(b) Dean Rusk.
(c) Robert McNamara.
(d) Adlai Stevenson.

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

7. 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 fragmented and plagued with in-fighting.
(d) They were committed and had good leadership.

8. What rule does Halberstam say Kennedy was following in trying to appoint a Secretary of State?
(a) Someone who had learned from his mistakes and had diplomatic experience.
(b) Someone who had not made many mistakes or offended too many people.
(c) Someone who had a strong intuition.
(d) Someone who didn't look back at bad decisions, but plowed ahead.

9. What does Halberstam say was Robert McNamara's role in the White House policy discussions?
(a) McNamara enforced Kennedy's will.
(b) McNamara filled in the details of others' plans.
(c) McNamara followed the will of the other advisers.
(d) McNamara dominated discussions.

10. What did Kennedy ask Chester Bowles for advice on?
(a) Military analysis.
(b) Budget cuts.
(c) Campaigning.
(d) Foreign policy.

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

12. Where was the war going badly, at the time when the White House was losing faith in Diem?
(a) Around Saigon.
(b) In Pleiku.
(c) In Quang Nam.
(d) In the Mekong Delta.

13. What does Halberstam say was the state of tensions within the White House as involvement in Vietnam escalated?
(a) Anyone who disagreed with Kennedy was removed.
(b) Aides gathered around Kennedy's will.
(c) There were many disagreements.
(d) Long and open debates brought new ideas to the policies.

14. Which issue was NOT confronting the nation when the Kennedy administration took office?
(a) China policy.
(b) Reconstruction.
(c) Civil rights.
(d) Missiles.

15. Why was Chester Bowles assigned to a different position?
(a) He had leaked confidential information to the press.
(b) He had been caught saying embarrassing things on an open mic.
(c) He had quarreled with Bobby Kennedy over who was in charge in Kennedy's absence.
(d) He had disgraced himself by having an affair with one of his pages.

Short Answer Questions

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

2. How many soldiers had the U.S. sent to Vietnam in its first commitment of troops?

3. What does Halberstam say Americans were united about in the early 1960s?

4. What did Kennedy represent to Eleanor Roosevelt's followers?

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

(see the answer keys)

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