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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. What type of non-fiction is Thirteen Days?
(a) Biography.
(b) Textbook.
(c) Essay.
(d) Memoir.

2. Who suggested that the US take military action against Cuba for America's safety, not knowing about the missiles?
(a) Senator Richard B. Russell.
(b) Senator Robert F. Kennedy.
(c) Senator J. William Fulbright.
(d) Senator Homer E. Caphart.

3. Who was concerned about how the U.S. would convince the rest of the world that the blockade was necessary and legal?
(a) The Prime Minister of Canada.
(b) The French President.
(c) The Chancellor of West Germany.
(d) The leaders in OAS.

4. What position did John McCloy one hold?
(a) Cheif Justice for the Supreme Court.
(b) Secretary of State.
(c) Ambassador to Russia.
(d) High Commissioner to Germany.

5. Who sent messages praising Russia and castigating the U.S.?
(a) David Ormsby Gore.
(b) Fidel Castro.
(c) Ted Sorensen.
(d) Bertrand Russell.

Short Answer Questions

1. How many Americans could potentially have died within minutes of the known missiles being fired off as of October 18th?

2. While Ex Comm was making final decisions regarding their recommendations, JFK was where?

3. Who does Robert speak to about the President's concern about missiles in Cuba on September 4th?

4. What did Secretary McNamara do, despite his dissent to the strategy?

5. What happened around 10:30, October 27th, the first day of the blockade?

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. How did Ex Comm formulate their recommendations to the President?

3. What was one argument for a blockade?

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

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

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

7. How did the US obtain their information about Russian activity in Cuba?

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

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

10. Why does RFK slip the President a note saying "I now know how Tojo felt when he was planning Pearl Harbor" (25)? How do the situations compare?

(see the answer keys)

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