Cold War Practice Test
1. A major reason for the development of NATO was
a. To supervise the re-unification of Germany
b. To protect Western Europe from Soviet aggression
c. To promote the economic growth of member nations
d. To make it difficult for the Russians to develop nuclear weapons
2. Both President Truman’s Federal Employee Loyalty Program and Senator McCarthy’s
hearings aimed to
a. Fight discrimination in government jobs
b. Defend Americans’ civil liberties
c. Fix the American economy
d. Expose Communists in the United States
3. As a result of the Korean War, the United States succeeded in
a. Keeping South Korea free of communism
b. Unifying Korea under a democratic government
c. Ending communism in Southeast Asia
d. Pushing Chinese troops out of North Korea
4. Members of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) charged numerous
Hollywood figures with
a. Promoting anti-Semitism
b. Avoiding the issue of racism
c. Spying for the Soviet Union
d. Being sympathetic to communist ideas
5. What impact did Joseph McCarthy have on American society?
a. He encouraged a widespread fear of communism
b. He strengthened the United States army
c. He encouraged Americans to stand up for their civil rights
d. He created opposition to United States involvement in Latin American affairs
6. The 1957 launching of Sputnik
a. Proved the superiority of American technology
b. Greatly increased Eisenhower’s popularity
c. Plunged the United States into a series of three recessions
d. Caused Congress to increase spending on teaching science and math
7. The Cuban Missile Crisis ended when
a. The Soviet leaders decided to remove the weapons
b. The US sponsored a successful invasion by anti-Castro rebels
c. NATO forces threatened to invade Cuba
d. No proof could be offered by the US of the presence of Soviet missiles
8. In dealing with the Cuban missile crisis, President Kennedy ordered
a. An invasion of Cuba to seize the missiles
b. A naval blockade on all military equipment being shipped to Cuba
c. An embargo on grain to the USSR
d. A general air strike at targets in Cuba
9. President Truman fired General MacArthur because
a. MacArthur crossed the Yalu River and attacked China.
b. MacArthur refused to leave for Korea because he wanted to protect Japan.
c. MacArthur lost the battle of Inchon which set back the war effort.
d. MacArthur criticized Truman’s decision not to attach China.
10. The term which means “accusing people without proof” is
a. Blacklisting
b. McCarthyism
c. Pinko
d. Demagogue
11. Ethel and Julius Rosenberg
a. Were executed for selling the secrets of atomic weapons to the Russians
b. Advised Truman to issue an executive order to check the loyalty of federal
workers
c. Led the Hollywood Ten and refused to testify in Washington
d. Caused anti-Semitism to spread throughout the US
12. The Bay of Pigs invasion is associated with which President?
a. Truman
b. Eisenhower
c. Kennedy
d. Johnson
13. The accusation that this former state department official passed atomic secrets to the
Russians increased Americans’ concerns about communism in the United States.
a. Dwight D. Eisenhower
b. Alger Hiss
c. William Levitt
d. Joseph McCarthy
14. When President Eisenhower said “If you knock down the first of a row of dominoes, all
the others will fall in quick order,” he was expressing a view that led to
a. Decreased foreign aid to Western Europe
b. Less restrictive immigration policies toward Africa and Latin America
c. Stronger support for US involvement in Southeast Asia
d. The end of colonialism in Africa
15. Senator Joseph McCarthy built his power on the issue of the
a. Need to weaken the role of Congress
b. Extent of Communist influence in the Federal Government
c. Decline of academic achievement among American students
d. Importance of improving race relations
16. Which would be the most appropriate entry for line 4 in the list below?
The Cold War at home
1. The McCarthy hearings
2. Alger Hiss case
3. House Un-American Activities Committee
4. __________________
a.
b.
c.
d.
Labor unrest
Racial segregation
Wage and price controls
Loyalty oaths
17. The protestors in the photograph are expressing their hatred for
a.
b.
c.
d.
fascists
communists
immigrants
police officers
18. What does this photograph indicate about the United States in the 1950s?
a.
b.
c.
d.
Extraordinary steps were taken to hide atomic weapons.
The nation had become the only nuclear superpower.
Much fear was created by the Cold War.
Only government officials would be safe in a nuclear attack.
19. The Peace Corps was established by President John F. Kennedy in an effort to provide
a.
b.
c.
d.
support to developing nations of the world
job training for the unemployed
markets for consumer goods
teachers for inner-city areas
20. President John F. Kennedy supported the 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba as an effort
to
a. remove a communist dictator from power
b. stop the flow of illegal drugs to the United States
c. support Fidel Castro’s efforts for reform
d. rescue hostages held by Cuban freedom fighters