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'Thirteen Days' by RF Kennedy Trivia Quiz

This quiz is based on the book 'Thirteen Days' by Robert F. Kennedy.

A multiple-choice quiz by DillPickle. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
DillPickle

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
53,525

Updated
Jul 23 22

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
11 / 15

Plays
615

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. What event in American history is chronicled by 'Thirteen Days'? Hint

The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

Bay of Pigs invasion

The Cuban Missile Crisis

The assassination of John F. Kennedy

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Question 2 of 15

2. What year was this book first published? Hint

1969

1967

1971

1968

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Question 3 of 15

3. Who was the Soviet leader at the time of the crisis? Hint

Yuri Andropov

Mikhail Gorbachev

Leonid Brezhnev

Nikita Khrushchev

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Question 4 of 15

4. Who was in power in Cuba during the crisis?

Answer: (Two Words)

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Question 5 of 15

5. What happened on October 16, 1962, the first day of the crisis? Hint

A spy plane shot aerial photos of a missile base being assembled in Cuba

Cuba declared war on the USA

The soviet leader threatened John F. Kennedy personally

One of our military planes was shot down over Cuba

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Question 6 of 15

6. What country was responsible for building the missile bases in Cuba? Hint

U.S.S.R.

Cuba

Ireland

Germany

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Question 7 of 15

7. During this period, who was the Secretary of Defense in the United States? Hint

John McCone

Robert McNamara

Dean Rusk

Robert Kennedy

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Question 8 of 15

8. When the crisis first began, a group of men came together to discuss appropriate action by the United States. What was this committee eventually called? Hint

Cuba Committee

Ex Comm

Kennedy Committee

Missile Crisis Committee

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Question 9 of 15

9. What final event of the crisis almost provoked a nuclear attack on the U.S.S.R.? Hint

The Soviet leader called Kennedy a 'wimp'

Soviet missiles in Cuba were armed and aimed at the USA

A renegade military commander plotted a scheme to provoke a war

An Air Force reconnaissance pilot was shot down over Cuba

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Question 10 of 15

10. Where in Cuba was the first missile base discovered? Hint

Trinidad

Havana

San Cristobal

Bay of Pigs

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Question 11 of 15

11. What was the United States first action of defense during the crisis? Hint

A military strike by air

A strongly worded statement to the press

Declaration of war on the U.S.S.R.

A blockade

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Question 12 of 15

12. During the negotiations between the office of the Kremlin and the United States, an offer was made to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would comply with what request? Hint

Remove the blockade

Train the Cuban military

Remove our missiles from Turkey

Kennedy would not seek re-election

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Question 13 of 15

13. What about the above offer made John F. Kennedy very angry? Hint

He had requested the removal of the missiles in Turkey during the 18 months before the crisis began

He had no desire to remove the blockade

He was determined to run for re-election

Training the Cuban military would be like cutting our own throats

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Question 14 of 15

14. Did the United States remove their missiles from Turkey during the crisis?

Answer: (One Word yes or no)

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Question 15 of 15

15. Did the Soviets remove the missiles from Cuba?

Answer: (One Word yes or no)

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What event in American history is chronicled by 'Thirteen Days'?

Answer: The Cuban Missile Crisis

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world was on the verge of nuclear war though many were completely unaware.

2. What year was this book first published?

Answer: 1968

The book was first published in 1968, the same year that Robert Kennedy was killed.

3. Who was the Soviet leader at the time of the crisis?

Answer: Nikita Khrushchev

Khrushchev was the Soviet leader from 1958-1964. He died in 1971.

4. Who was in power in Cuba during the crisis?

Answer: Fidel Castro

Castro came to power in 1959. He is president (since {1976;} formerly prime minister), first secretary of the Cuban Communist party, and commander of the armed forces. His decisions are final on matters of domestic and foreign policy.

5. What happened on October 16, 1962, the first day of the crisis?

Answer: A spy plane shot aerial photos of a missile base being assembled in Cuba

This missile base was being constructed swiftly in spite of Soviet denials. Khrushchev claimed the Soviet Union never had, and never would place missiles in Cuba.

6. What country was responsible for building the missile bases in Cuba?

Answer: U.S.S.R.

The Soviets at first denied placement of the missiles but then claimed they were there to prevent the United States from invading Cuba.

7. During this period, who was the Secretary of Defense in the United States?

Answer: Robert McNamara

John McCone was then Director of the CIA, Dean Rusk was Secretary of State, and Robert Kennedy was Attorney General.

8. When the crisis first began, a group of men came together to discuss appropriate action by the United States. What was this committee eventually called?

Answer: Ex Comm

Ex Comm stands for 'Executive Committee of the National Security Council.'

9. What final event of the crisis almost provoked a nuclear attack on the U.S.S.R.?

Answer: An Air Force reconnaissance pilot was shot down over Cuba

The pilot who was killed was Major Rudolph Anderson Jr. from South Carolina. His plane was shot down by a SAM missile. Major Anderson was one of the two Air Force pilots who carried out the original reconnaissance mission which uncovered the presence of missiles in Cuba.

10. Where in Cuba was the first missile base discovered?

Answer: San Cristobal

The first missile base was sighted in a field near San Cristobal.

11. What was the United States first action of defense during the crisis?

Answer: A blockade

On Wednesday October 24, 1962, the blockade went into place. No Russian vessels would be allowed to reach Cuba without being boarded and searched by American military personel.

12. During the negotiations between the office of the Kremlin and the United States, an offer was made to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. would comply with what request?

Answer: Remove our missiles from Turkey

Also included in the offer was that the Soviet Union would not interfere with the internal affairs of Turkey if we would pledge the same regarding Cuba.

13. What about the above offer made John F. Kennedy very angry?

Answer: He had requested the removal of the missiles in Turkey during the 18 months before the crisis began

JFK had repeatedly talked to the State department about removing the missiles in Turkey, which he believed were so obsolete as to offer no protection. He believed our Polaris submarines in the Mediterranean were sufficient. Turkey objected and State department officials let the matter drop. Kennedy's orders were not carried out. Had the missiles been removed in a timely manner as Kennedy intended, the crisis might have been avoided altogether.

14. Did the United States remove their missiles from Turkey during the crisis?

Answer: no

Kennedy refused to give in to the pressure, knowing that other countries would make similar attempts if the Soviet's aggressive tactics were successful.

15. Did the Soviets remove the missiles from Cuba?

Answer: yes

Krushchev did remove the missiles from Cuba after Kennedy respectfully told him that we would not tolerate having our reconnaissance planes fired upon and would have no choice in the future but to return fire. After the crisis was over, the US missiles in Turkey were removed.

Source: Author DillPickle

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