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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. How did the leaders entertain each other in the evenings of the conference?

2. What was the name of President Truman's custom built railway car?

3. What happened to the President's normal work when he was on the campaign trail?

4. What two projects occupied Truman for the remainder of his life?

5. How old was Truman when his second term as president began?

Short Essay Questions

1. Read the coverage of the speech Truman gave on March 12, 1947, page 547 in the book. This became known as the Truman Doctrine. Why?

2. Truman had corresponded with Churchill and Stalin, but had never met either of these leaders before Potsdam. Read through Chapter 10 again, noting Truman's observations of the two men. Pretending you are a reporter for an American newspaper, write an article describing the two men from Truman's view.

3. When Truman is on a state trip to Mexico, he visits the grave of the child heroes. Why did this act mean so much to the Mexican people?

4. Compare the way reporters on the Truman campaign trail were treated as opposed to the reporters on the Dewey train. How was this indicative of the campaigns themselves?

5. When Robert Oppenheimer, the director of the Manhattan Project, comes to see Truman, the President is made uncomfortable about the visit. Why?

6. Choose one of the following issues confronting Truman in this chapter: 1) Soviet acquisition of the atom bomb, 2) North Korea invading South Korea, 3) the Berlin Airlift, or 4) rise of Senator McCarthy. In your essay, outline how Truman and his administration handled the press regarding this issue. In your opinion, was the situation presented to the public in a good way?

7. Stalin is described as a personable, likable man; yet he ordered the murder of millions of people in his own country. Was there any indication in the activities of the Potsdam Conference that reveal this side of his character? Give examples.

8. Why did Truman choose Stevenson as his successor?

9. Why did Stevenson distance himself from Truman during the campaign for President? Was this wise?

10. The title of this chapter is "The Buck Stops Here." Where does this expression come from and how does it apply to Harry Truman?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

After the Soviet Union acquires the bomb, the author states "It was a different world now." What does he mean by that statement? Was it better for the world for one country alone to have the weapon? Was it better for the two most powerful countries to have the bomb? In your opinion, which countries should have atomic weapons?

Essay Topic 2

Why did Truman's streak of popularity with the American people begin to fail in this phase of his career, just before his second term of office?

Essay Topic 3

How does the Truman Committee reinforce Truman's long-held belief that American large corporations are corrupt? Give specific examples.

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