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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. Whose theories had been used as the basis for expanded militarization in the late 1940s?

2. What were Diem and Nhu's politics relative to the Vietnamese population's politics?

3. Where does the book open?

4. What did the Geneva Convention decide in Vietnam?

5. How does Halberstam say Lyndon Johnson felt in the Kennedy administration?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who was McGeorge Bundy, and what was his role in the Kennedy administration?

2. Why does Halberstam say Chester Bowles' popularity faded?

3. Why did Diem and the U.S. end up working together?

4. What were Americans beginning to say with regard to Diem after the Buddhist monk problems began?

5. Describe the atmosphere in America when Kennedy took office.

6. How did the situation in Vietnam unfold?

7. Why didn't the U.S. gain the loyalty of the Vietnamese peasants?

8. What was the Kennedy administration's stance with regard to Russia?

9. Describe the confrontation in Laos.

10. How did the White House eventually try to limit the military?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Kennedy was a young president, and he was thought to be inexperienced. What was Kennedy's relationship with the past, and with politicians who went before him? What did he take from them, and which of their policies was he intent on changing?

Essay Topic 2

Using evidence from Halberstam's text, describe how the Vietnam War affected America's relationship with the community of nations--particularly China and Russia, its Communist foes. What did the Vietnam war do for American interests abroad? How did it affect America's reputation and image?

Essay Topic 3

What lessons did the U.S. learn from the Bay of Pigs invasion, and how were these lessons visible in the planning for military campaigns in Vietnam? Did the Bay of Pigs invasion sour the U.S. war planners on relying on local forces? Did it foster the argument for bombing instead of troops on the ground?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 911 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample