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This test consists of 15 multiple choice questions and 5 short answer questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What does Halberstam say was the result of the Spring Offensive?
(a) General Westmoreland raised troop levels to 200,000.
(b) The military employed more bombers.
(c) General Harkin withdrew from his post.
(d) American troop levels were reduced to 20,000.

2. Who did President Johnson send to Vietnam to investigate the situation there?
(a) General Johnson.
(b) General Westmoreland.
(c) General Harkin.
(d) Maxwell Taylor.

3. What evidence does Halberstam say the President was presented with to make the case for bombing?
(a) Test results from the bomb manufacturers.
(b) U.S. soldiers' casualty rates.
(c) U.S. soldiers' atrocities.
(d) Jobs reports in districts where bombs were manufactured.

4. When does Halberstam say the Johnson administration realized that Bundy was necessary to their planning?
(a) When Diem was overthrown, as Bundy had predicted he would be.
(b) When McNamara's plans were ineffectual.
(c) When Taylor's theories were proven wrong.
(d) When they had a hard time while he was on vacation.

5. What does Halberstam say was decided at the April 20, 1965 meeting in Honolulu?
(a) The military shifted to search-and-destroy missions exclusively.
(b) The military reduced troop levels.
(c) The military refused to provide reports from field commanders.
(d) The military agreed to increased troop usage.

6. Who does Halberstam say set the tone for Vietnam policy for the beginning of the Johnson administration?
(a) Bundy.
(b) Harriman.
(c) Rusk.
(d) McNamara.

7. What does Halberstam say was the military's opinion after the start of Rolling Thunder?
(a) The military thought the war would last six months.
(b) The military expected the campaign to bring victory in 3-5 years.
(c) The military predicted a war of attrition.
(d) The military wanted to keep experimenting with saturation bombing techniques.

8. What does Halberstam say General Westmoreland was projecting after 1965?
(a) More bombings and fewer troops on the ground.
(b) More troops and more years of war.
(c) More casualties, but also more political victories.
(d) More political pressure and fewer battles.

9. What does Halberstam say was the outcome of the report on the bombing attacks?
(a) The report resulted in the withdrawal of American combat troops.
(b) The report was ignored, although it delayed the bombings.
(c) The report resulted justifiying sending more troops and bombers to Vietnam.
(d) The report led to sanctions against the American military.

10. What was McNamara beginning to suspect in Vietnam?
(a) Diem's trustworthiness.
(b) The capacity for victory in a guerilla war.
(c) The accuracy of bleak military reports.
(d) The patience of the American electorate.

11. What happened in the Gulf of Tonkin as a part of 34A?
(a) An American plane was shot down by Russian Migs.
(b) An American ship sunk a North Vietnamese PT boat.
(c) An American ship was torpedoed.
(d) The VIetcong launched missiles at an American plane.

12. The war continued until which President took office?
(a) Reagan.
(b) Carter.
(c) Ford.
(d) Nixon.

13. What does Halberstam say the U.S. assured its generals during their meeting in Vietnam?
(a) That they would continue aid in the event of a coup.
(b) That they would not cross the border into Cambodia.
(c) That they would be victorious by the end of 1966.
(d) That they would continue humanitarian aid.

14. What does Halberstam say was the conclusion of the study that analyzed the results of a bombing attack against the north?
(a) The report concluded that bombing would deter any further guerilla-style attacks against the South.
(b) The report concluded that bombing would strengthen the North by building opposition to the Americans.
(c) The report concluded that bombing would overwhelm the people, and drain support for further attacks.
(d) The report concluded that bombing would break the Vietcong's supply routes, and end resistance.

15. What does Halberstam say became clear by the time Rolling Thunder had been in effect for six weeks?
(a) That it was only a matter of time until Hanoi capitulated.
(b) That Rolling Thunder was breaking the Vietcong supply routes.
(c) That Rolling Thunder was not breaking the North's resistance.
(d) That Rolling Thunder was not going to make Hanoi capitulate.

Short Answer Questions

1. Why did President Johnson authorize bombing attacks on North Vietnam, in Halberstam's account?

2. Who does Halberstam say was especially vocal in calling for a change in U.S. Vietnam policy?

3. What plan was the U.S. government preparing for by the end of 1964?

4. What does Halberstam say was the result of the Gulf of Tonkin incident?

5. How did McNamara's position on bombing change over time?

(see the answer keys)

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