US History Topic 10 Practice Quiz

Why was the Selective Service System criticized as another example of social injustice?

It resulted in recruitment of people from poor or working-class backgrounds.

Which of the following presidents did NOT contribute to the American involvement in Vietnam through his adherence to containment policy?

Richard Nixon

How did the President's ability to conduct military operations change following the end of war in Vietnam?

The War Powers Act forced the President to consult with Congress before all military actions.

This image of students on the steps of the Pentagon is associated with

disagreement with registering for the draft.

During the Vietnam War, African American soldiers

made up a disproportionately high number of casualties.

The term "Third World" was originally coined to refer to countries that

were aligned with neither the U.S. or the Soviet Union.

The 26th Amendment Why did it take some time before the provision lowering the voting age would apply nationwide?

An amendment requires ratification by individual states.

What impact did George Wallace's third-party candidacy have on the 1968 presidential election?

It siphoned votes from Humphrey's candidacy, allowing Nixon to win.

What was President Kennedy's response to the perceived "missile gap" between the U.S. and Soviet Union?

He adopted a "flexible response" policy to prepare the military for any type of conflict.

How did the War Powers Act of 1973 affect the President's ability to conduct military operations?

It forced him to consult with Congress before ordering any military strikes.

What best describes the statement this cartoon is making about the war in Vietnam?

It suggests that the Vietnam War is destroying President Johnson's presidency.

What can you infer about the Berlin Wall from this photo of an East German soldier leaping over to the western side of the Wall?

It was mainly intended to keep East Germans from escaping to the West.

In what way was the United States' decision to support the French in Indochina a departure from its usual foreign policy?

The U.S. was generally in favor of decolonization.

Lyndon Johnson's decision not to seek re-election in 1968 underscored what fact about his presidency?

The war in Vietnam had jeopardized his reelection chances.

Which of the following factors did NOT contribute to the challenges American troops faced in Vietnam?

air superiority

What strategy did President Johnson's advisors Robert McNamara and General Westmoreland insist was necessary to winning the war in Vietnam?

committing more troops and taking a more active role in combat activities

What can you infer from the map about the nature of the Tet Offensive?

It was a coordinated series of attacks on American military outposts.

What objective did American military leaders hope to achieve in North Vietnam with military campaigns such as Operation Rolling Thunder?

They believed that the strikes would lower the enemy's morale and drive the North Vietnamese to negotiate a peace treaty.

Fulbright's hearings on Vietnam showed how

television was shaping public opinion.

The battle at Dien Bien Phu showed that

the French could no longer hold on to Vietnam.

What feature on the map best explains why the United States was unwilling to commit to a full-scale ground war in North Vietnam?

the country's close proximity to China

What is the best summary of this statement by Martin Luther King, Jr. about the Vietnam War? It was sending their sons and their brothers and their husbands to fight and to die in extraordinary high proportions relative to the rest of the population. . . . [W]e have been repeatedly faced with the cruel irony of watching Negro and white boys on TV screens as they kill and die together for a nation that has been unable to seat them together in the same schools. --Martin Luther King, Jr, 1967

African Americans are dying in disproportionate numbers to whites and, although blacks and whites die together in war, blacks are still discriminated against at home.

What does the text above tell us about President Johnson's political standing in 1968?

By 1968, Johnson had difficulty maintaining the support of his own party.

How did Clark Clifford's Vietnam policy differ from that of his predecessor Robert McNamara?

Clifford believed the war was unwinnable and sought to reach a peace agreement.

What did Ho Chi Minh believe this strategy would ultimately accomplish against the American military?

He believed that if the North Vietnamese wore the American forces down enough they would eventually leave.

What point is President Eisenhower making here with his domino analogy?

If Vietnam were to fall to the communists, it would only be a matter of time before its neighbors followed suit.

During the Vietnam War, what contributed to low morale among US troops and on the home front?

Lack of progress and doubts about the wisdom of U.S. involvement in Vietnam.

What best describes the main difference between many American troops stationed in Vietnam before 1965 and those stationed there after that date?

Many troops stationed there before 1965 were volunteers, while many of those after were drafted into the service.

How was the 1972 presidential election most like the 1968 election?

Nixon used promises to end the war to his advantage.

How did U.S. policy in Vietnam change following the Tet Offensive?

Policy makers thought the war unwinnable and began to negotiate for peace.

Enacted following the end of the Vietnam War, the War Powers Resolution (also known as the War Powers Act) can be seen as Congress' attempt to undo what previous piece of legislation?

The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution

Why did the United States ultimately decide to support the French rather than Ho Chi Minh's forces in the Indochina War?

The U.S. wanted to stop the spread of communism in Asia.

This quote suggests that the decision to escalate the war in Vietnam was possibly based on

flawed, manipulated, or misunderstood intelligence.

Which of these best describes the "Americanization" strategy recommended by Robert McNamara and William Westmoreland?

having American forces take on a more active role in the Vietnam War

Which of these factors most likely cost Humphrey the election in 1968?

his refusal to defy President Johnson on the Vietnam War

What military strategy did President Nixon employ in Vietnam early on in his presidency?

the "Vietnamization" of combat operations

Which idea, one which formed the basis of American foreign policy in the 1960s, was largely discredited by events of the 1970s in the wake of the Vietnam War?

the "domino theory"

What proved to be the biggest obstacle to finding missing American soldiers in Vietnam following the war?

the new communist regime in Vietnam

Why did Secretary of State Rusk likely insist that the reporter remember, when reporting the story, that the Soviets "blinked first"?

to bolster Kennedy's image as a strong and resolute leader