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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 happened around 10:30, October 27th, the first day of the blockade?
(a) The Russian ships fired upon a U-2.
(b) The Cubans overran the U.S. embassy.
(c) The Cubans shot down a plane.
(d) The Russian ships stopped.

2. What was the main reason that the President did not attend all of the Ex Comm meetings?
(a) Busy schedule.
(b) Evasion of responsibility.
(c) Important diplomatic duties.
(d) To avoid arousing suspicion.

3. What did Secretary McNamara do, despite his dissent to the strategy?
(a) Prepared the military for air bombardments.
(b) Sent communication to Khrushchev for a summit.
(c) Ordered the blockade.
(d) Prepared the documents to release Berlin to Russia.

4. Robert describes the conflict in Cuba as one between two atomic nations. What are the two atomic nations he refers to?
(a) US and Cuba.
(b) US and Germany.
(c) Berlin and Cuba.
(d) US and USSR.

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

Short Answer Questions

1. What was one requirement of the blockade plan?

2. Who said, "It is exactly what I would have done . . . a great government such as yours does not act without evidence" (41)?

3. What book had JFK recently read that had to do with miscalculations leading to war?

4. When Robert meets with Dobrynin after the blockade is put into effect, what does Dobrynin say the ships will do?

5. What did JFK read aloud at a meeting with a Russian representative?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why does RFK defend Adlai Stevenson's suggestion?

3. How does Berlin factor into the decision making about the Cuban Missile Crisis?

4. What was one argument for a blockade?

5. What was one argument against a blockade?

6. What other actions did the U.S. take besides the blockade?

7. After the blockade takes effect, RFK meets with Dobrynin again. What do they discuss?

8. What was ironic about JFK's meeting with Soviet Foreign Minister Andrea Gromyko?

9. 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?

10. What did the military and JFK do to respond to the submarine situation?

(see the answer keys)

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