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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. Who does JFK meet with whom Robert claims he "trusted implicitly" (51)?

2. After the announcement to the nation, how often would Ex Comm meet?

3. What does "Ex Comm" stand for?

4. How long before the President's address to the nation did they tell the ambassador of Russia?

5. What did the intelligence community tell JFK on September 19th, regarding the possibility of Russians putting offensive weapons in Cuba?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. What did Adlai Stevenson suggest was a third option for the President to consider? Why was it rejected?

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

4. How did RFK feel about his fellow members of in Ex Comm?

5. When was Congress told, and how did Congress react to the news of the Cuban Missile Crisis?

6. What personal insights does RFK provide about JFK when they are waiting for news about the first ships meant to reach the blockade?

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

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

9. What was one argument against a blockade?

10. Why did the Intelligence Community not believe Cuba was a threat to the United States?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Robert Kennedy believed that there were many lessons to be learned from the Cuban Missile Crisis. Identify three lessons that were learned from this incident and describe them in detail in an essay.

Essay Topic 2

Checks and Balances are built into the Constitution to protect the people from tyranny and to prevent an abuse of power. Congress was furious that JFK did not consult with them before making his military decision. In an essay, determine whether or not the checks and balance work.

Essay Topic 3

The Cuban Missile Crisis presented itself as a first ever occurrence for the U.S., and modern technology played a role in how it was handled. Identify three ways that technology effected how the Cuban Missile Crisis was handled and why it had this effect.

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