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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. Who, due to his role in the government, might have been the leader of Ex Comm if he had been able to attend more meetings?

3. Who sent messages praising Russia and castigating the U.S.?

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

5. How many ships either stopped or turned back before reaching the blockade?

Short Essay Questions

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

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

3. 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?

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

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

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

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

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

10. What was one argument for a blockade?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Cultural allusions are made to Munich and Pearl Harbor. In an essay, identify which of these events most closely resembles the Cuban Missile Crisis. Give details to support your assertions.

Essay Topic 2

The fact that JFK was hesitant to actually stop a ship with the blockade demonstrates that the blockade was more symbolic than meant as an actual solution. In an essay, discuss how the blockade was symbolic. How were JFK's choices regarding the line of interception symbolic? What was symbolic about the first ship intercepted? What message was all of this meant to convey?

Essay Topic 3

Robert Kennedy, Richard Neustadt, and Graham Allison all identify isolationism to be a problem. In an essay, identify why people would desire isolationism and determine if isolationism is even an option in today's world. Why or why not? Make a conclusion at the end of your determining if isolationism is truly a good idea or not? Use citations from Thirteen Days in your arguments.

(see the answer keys)

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