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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does Isaacson claim to be Bohlen's view of Bolshevism?

2. Where does Isaacson claim Averell Harriman was when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941?

3. What Assistant Secretary of War does Isaacson cite as fearing American isolationism after WWII?

4. Isaacson reports which "Wise Man" worked to implement Franklin Roosevelt's Lend Lease program?

5. What did Isaacson claim to be Kennan's strong areas in his training?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Isaacson claim motivated George Kennan to apply for a job with the foreign service?

2. What does Isaacson report to be a prerequisite for being tapped for Skull and Bones at Yale?

3. What does Isaacson claim to be Averell Harriman's view regarding Russia building a tier of states friendly to its system in Eastern Europe?

4. As the Allied powers began to close in on Germany, what does Isaacson expose to be the main concern of the British and American governments for the post-war era?

5. What were the circumstances through which John McCloy came into contact with Averell Harriman and Robert Lovett after WWI, according to Isaacson?

6. What does Isaacson claim to be the "warning" issued through the Potsdam proclamation by the Allied Powers to Japan regarding the dropping of the atomic bomb?

7. What military action did Joseph Stalin demand from his British and American allies once the United States entered WWII, according to Isaacson?

8. What kind of jobs did John McCloy's mother find for him during his youth, according to Isaacson?

9. What does Isaacson identify as the major issues facing Harry Truman during the first month of his presidency after the death of President Roosevelt?

10. Which of the "Six Wise Men" does Isaacson indicate attended Harvard Law School?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

George Kennan and Chip Bohlen used their very different personalities and skills to climb the ranks of the foreign service to eventually enter the inner circles of the Roosevelt Administration. Compare and contrast the diverse personalities and skills of Kennan and Bohlen and detail how they complemented each other to become major influences on policies concerning the Soviet Union.

Essay Topic 2

The "Wise Men" made decisions that they knew would have affects on the voting public. Identify three such decisions, the elections that they influenced and the candidates whom they were intended to assist. Use support from the book to validate your positions.

Essay Topic 3

The Wise Men examines the life long connections of six men and how they shaped America's foreign policy for nearly 40 years. How were the early lives and experiences of the "Wise Men" intertwined and how did their elite upbringing give them access to the seats of power where they were given opportunity to direct American foreign policy?

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