GUIDED VIEWING
Name: ________________
Date: ___/___/______
Class: ________________
Period: ___
Pre-Viewing Questions
Before you watch the film, answer the following questions by researching them online:
1. The film The Post revolves around the journalistic publishing of the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers—
often referred to as the McNamara Study—were a detailed historical study of the Vietnam War commissioned
by the United States Department of Defense.
a. What years did the Pentagon Papers cover?
b. The Pentagon Papers discussed four different presidential administrations. Name the four presidents
that held office during this time.
c. What was the name of the person who leaked the Pentagon Papers?
d. What year was the full Pentagon Papers finally declassified?
2. When the film opens, the publisher of the Washington Post, Katharine Graham, is preparing the company for an
IPO to generate new revenue and broaden the newspaper’s scope.
a. What does the acronym “IPO” stand for?
b. What occurs during an IPO?
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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Character Key
Match the image of each character with their name. Images are in the order of appearance. Names are
listed in alphabetical order.
1) ___
2) ___
3) ___
4) ___
5) ___
6) ___
7) ___
8) ___
9) ___
10) ___
11) ___
A. Abe Rosenthal
G. Kay Graham
B. Ben Bagdikian
H. Lally Graham
C. Ben Bradlee
I. Meg Greenfield
D. Daniel Ellsberg
J. Robert McNamara
E. Fritz Beebe
K. Roger Clark
F. Howard Simons
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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Guided Viewing
Answer the following questions as you watch the movie. Questions are in order.
1. The opening scene of the movie takes place in Vietnam during what year?
2. How does Ellsberg respond when the Secretary of Defense asks him if the status of Vietnam is better or
worse?
3. At breakfast Kay Graham tells Ben Bradlee that Nixon has decided not to give Judith credentials to
cover what?
4. Ben Bradlee gives an intern $40 dollars and tells him to take a train to New York. What does he want
him to do when he gets there?
5. How did Kay’s husband Phil die?
6. In the event of a catastrophic event, how long do the bankers have to pull their investment from the
Washington Post?
7. At the dinner party, what do the women do once the men start talking about the China Embargo?
8. According to the front-page story in the New York Times, what year did McNamara know that the U.S.
could not win in Vietnam?
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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9. A woman walks into the Washington Post and leaves a shoe box on a reporter’s desk. What is in the
shoe box?
10. Kay Graham’s dinner with the Rosenthals is interrupted by a reporter with a message from the
Attorney General to the New York Times. What is the message?
11. According to Daniell Ellsburg what was 70% of the reason the U.S. stayed in Vietnam when they knew
they were losing?
12. Ben states that he never thought of Jack [Kennedy] as a source; he thought of him as a friend. He then
indicated that Jack knew something all along. According to Ben, what did Jack know?
13. Approximately how many pages were in the McNamara study?
14. According to Kay, McNamara’s study had said that the U.S. decision-making process in Vietnam was
what?
15. What does Kay decide to do at the end of the phone call with Fritz and Ben?
16. How does Ben Bagdikian reply when he is asked how likely it is that his source is the same source that
the New York Times used?
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17. When Kay asks Ben if he can guarantee her that if they go to print that they would not endanger U.S.
soldiers, how does he ultimately respond?
18. What is in the paper bag that Ben Bradlee takes from Ben Bagdikian to show Kay?
19. What was the vote breakdown from the Supreme Court decision?
20. Where does the final shot of the movie take place?
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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ESSAY:
Use the following space to answer the essay question below. Be sure to answer all parts of the question. You may
continue on a separate sheet of paper if you need to.
The central debate in the film The Post is whether or not the freedom of the press is subordinate to the
government’s need to keep secrets. It is clear that some state-held secrets are necessary for the protection of
the United States citizenry. On the other hand, a government that can hold any secret without checks or
balances could quickly run the risk of tyranny.
Considering the above, write a persuasive essay explaining how best to balance the competing interests of the
press and the state. Under what circumstances—if any—do you think it would be appropriate for the state to
prevent the press from publishing a story? Explain your reasoning.
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Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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TEACHER’S KEY
Pre-Viewing Questions:
1. The film The Post revolves around the journalistic publishing of the Pentagon Papers. The Pentagon Papers—
often referred to as the McNamara study—were a detailed historical study of the Vietnam War commissioned
by the United States Department of Defense.
a. What years did the Pentagon Papers cover?
i. 1945 to 1967
b. The Pentagon Papers covered a period that included four different presidential administrations. Name
the four presidents that held office during this time.
i. Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson.
c. What was the name of the person who leaked the Pentagon Papers?
i. Daniel Ellsberg
d. What year was the full Pentagon Papers finally declassified?
i. 2011
2. When the film opens, the publisher of the Washington Post, Katharine Graham, is preparing the company for an
IPO to generate new revenue and broaden the newspaper’s scope.
a. What does the acronym “IPO” stand for?
i. Initial Public Offering
b. What occurs during an IPO?
i. A private company becomes a public company by selling shares in its control to public investors.
Character Key:
1. D
2. J
3. G
4. E
5. C
7. F
8. I
9. B
10. H
11. K
6. A
Guided Viewing:
1. The opening scene of the movie takes place in Vietnam during what year?
a. 1966
2. How does Ellsberg respond when the Secretary of Defense asks him if the status of Vietnam is better or
worse.
a. He says that “things are the same.”
3. At breakfast Kay Graham tells Ben that Nixon has decided not to give Judith credentials to cover what?
a. President Nixon’s daughter’s wedding.
4. Ben gives an intern $40 dollars and tells him to take a train to New York. What does he want him to do
when he gets there?
a. He wants to know what Neil Sheehan is working on for the New York Times.
5. How did Kay’s husband Phil die?
a. He committed suicide.
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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6. How long do the bankers have after the public offering to pull out of the deal with the Washington
Post in the case of a catastrophic event?
a. One week.
7. At the dinner party, what do the women do when the men start talking about the China Embargo?
a. The retire the sitting room to talk.
8. According to the front page story in the New York Times, what year did McNamara know that the US
could not win in Vietnam?
a. 1965 (6 years prior)
9. A woman walks into the Washington Post and leaves a shoe box on a reporters desk. What is in the
shoe box?
a. Pages from the McNamara study.
10. Kay Graham’s dinner with the Rosenthals is interrupted by a reporter with a message from the
Attorney General to the New York Times. What is the message?
a. Refrain from publishing further information from the McNamara Study.
11. According to Ellsburg what was 70% of the reason the US stayed in Vietnam when they knew they were
losing?
a. To avoid the humiliation of a defeat.
12. Ben states that he never thought of Jack [Kennedy] as a source; he thought of him as a friend. He then
indicated that Jack knew something all along. What did he know?
a. Politicians can’t be both sources and friends to the press. They have to choose.
13. How many pages is the McNamara study?
a. 4000
14. According to Kay, McNamara’s study had said that the US’s decision-making process in Vietnam was
what?
a. “Flawed"
15. What does Kay decide at the end of the phone call Fritz and ben?
a. She decides to publish the story.
16. How does Mr. Bagikian reply when he is asked how likely it is that his source is the same source that
the New York Times has?
a. He says that it is “Likely. Very Likely.”
17. When Kay asks Ben if he can guarantee her that if they go to print that they would not endanger US
soldiers, how does he ultimately respond?
a. “100%”
18. What is in the paper bag that Ben Bradlee takes from Ben Bagdikian to show Kay?
a. A collection of newspapers that followed the Post’s lead and published the papers.
19. What was the vote breakdown from the Supreme Court decision?
a. 6-3 in favor of the Post and the Times
20. Where does the final shot of the movie take place?
a. Outside the Watergate.
Essay
Answers will vary.
Copyright © 2018 Brendon Quebedeaux
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