Question 1

Which international organization was created after World War II at the urging of the United States?
A) the League of Nations
B) the United Nations
C) the Warsaw Pact
D) the World Trade Organization

Accepted Answer

The United Nations was created after World War II at the urging of the United States. The League of Nations was created after World War I, but the United States did not join it. The Warsaw Pact was a military alliance formed by communist countries during the Cold War. The World Trade Organization was established in 1995 to regulate international trade.

Question 2

Who is preeminent in U.S.foreign and military policy?
A) the Joint Chiefs of Staff
B) the president
C) the State Department
D) the National Security Council

Accepted Answer

The president holds the ultimate authority in foreign and military policy making, as they are the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and have the power to negotiate treaties and appoint officials to key positions such as the Secretary of State and National Security Advisor. While the Joint Chiefs of Staff, State Department, and National Security Council may all play important advisory roles, they ultimately answer to and carry out the orders of the president.

Question 3

Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed?
A) to provide peacetime collective security for the United States and Western Europe
B) to promote free trade between the United States and Western Europe
C) to minimize nuclear proliferation
D) to enhance democratic government in newly industrializing countries

Accepted Answer

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 to provide peacetime collective security for the United States and Western Europe against the potential threat posed by the Soviet Union and its communist allies. The alliance sought to promote stability and deter aggression through military cooperation and mutual defense.

Question 4

Which of the following countries is a member of NATO?
A) Russia
B) China
C) Japan
D) the United States

Accepted Answer

The United States is a founding member of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), which is a collective defense alliance of several North American and European countries. Russia is not a member of NATO, while China and Japan are not located in the North Atlantic region covered by the alliance.

Question 5

What is a primary responsibility of the Department of Defense?
A) to formulate diplomatic policy
B) to implement military policy
C) to coordinate domestic security efforts
D) to advise the president about national security threats

Accepted Answer

The primary responsibility of the Department of Defense is to implement military policy, including the organization and training of military forces, the development and procurement of weapons systems, and the conduct of military operations. While the department does advise the president about national security threats, it is not its primary responsibility. Formulating diplomatic policy is the responsibility of the Department of State, and coordinating domestic security efforts falls under the purview of the Department of Homeland Security.

Question 6

Who serves on the Joint Chiefs of Staff?
A) the Cabinet secretaries
B) the Army chief of staff, the Air Force chief of staff, the chief of naval operations, and the Marine commandant
C) the White House military intelligence corps
D) the secretary of defense, the secretary of homeland security, and the director of the Central Intelligence Agency

Accepted Answer

The Joint Chiefs of Staff is comprised of the Army chief of staff, the Air Force chief of staff, the chief of naval operations, and the Marine commandant.

Question 7

Who is the largest trading partner with the United States?
A) China
B) Canada
C) Germany
D) Japan

Accepted Answer

Canada is the United States' largest trading partner, with over $718 billion in goods and services traded between the two countries in 2019. China is the second-largest trading partner, followed by Mexico and Japan. While Germany is an important trading partner for the United States, it is not the largest.

Question 8

Who instituted the Marshall Plan and who benefited directly from it?
A) The Soviet Union instituted the Marshall Plan to benefit Eastern Europe.
B) Germany instituted the Marshall Plan to benefit the United States.
C) The United States instituted the Marshall Plan to benefit Western Europe.
D) Eastern Europe instituted the Marshall Plan to benefit Western Europe.

Accepted Answer

The Marshall Plan was instituted by the United States in 1948 to provide economic aid to Western European countries after World War II. The aim was to help rebuild the economies of these countries and prevent the spread of communism. The countries that directly benefited from the Marshall Plan were Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, West Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Question 9

Which Cabinet-level department has primary responsibility for U.S.foreign policy?
A) Department of State
B) Department of Justice
C) Department of the Interior
D) Department of Homeland Security

Accepted Answer

The Department of State is responsible for the development and implementation of U.S. foreign policy. It is headed by the Secretary of State, who serves as the President's principal adviser on foreign policy and leads the department's diplomatic efforts. The other options (Department of Justice, Department of the Interior, and Department of Homeland Security) have different areas of focus and responsibilities.

Question 10

What is the role of the national security adviser?
A) to be a consultant for academics and others with foreign policy expertise
B) to act as a liaison between the Department of Defense and the military
C) to lead the Department of Homeland Security
D) to advise the president on foreign and military policy

Accepted Answer

The role of the national security adviser is to advise the president on foreign and military policy. They are responsible for helping the president develop and implement national security policies and strategies. They coordinate the efforts of the national security agencies and provide the president with regular updates on security issues.

Question 11

The United States engaged in which of the following military conflicts in order to prevent the spread of communism?
A) World War I
B) World War II
C) the Vietnam War
D) the global war on terrorism

Accepted Answer

The United States engaged in the Vietnam War in order to prevent the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

Question 12

What was the foreign policy of containment designed to prevent?
A) nuclear proliferation
B) the spread of Soviet influence
C) terrorism
D) the Cold War

Accepted Answer

The foreign policy of containment was designed to prevent the spread of Soviet influence, particularly in Europe and other parts of the world. It was implemented by the United States during the Cold War as a means of restraining the Soviet Union's expansionist tendencies and its efforts to promote communist ideology. The goal was to contain Soviet power and prevent it from spreading beyond its current borders, thus preserving the balance of power in the world. It involved a combination of military, economic, and diplomatic measures to counter Soviet aggression and promote democratic values.

Question 13

What was the main purpose of the Marshall Plan?
A) to repair relations between the United States and the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War
B) to help Europe's economic recovery after World War II
C) to prevent the spread of weapons of mass destruction to unstable governments
D) to root out and eliminate potential terrorist threats before they are fully formed

Accepted Answer

The main purpose of the Marshall Plan was to help Europe's economic recovery after World War II. It was a comprehensive aid program to rebuild European economies, infrastructure, and industries, which were devastated by World War II.

Question 14

What event marked the end of the Cold War?
A) détente
B) the collapse of the Soviet Union
C) the signing of the SALT II Treaty
D) the resolution of the Cuban Missile Crisis

Accepted Answer

The collapse of the Soviet Union marked the end of the Cold War, as it was the main opposing power to the United States during the conflict. The other options (A, C, D) were significant events during the Cold War, but did not bring it to an end.

Question 15

Which of the following countries is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council?
A) Germany
B) India
C) Spain
D) the United States

Accepted Answer

The United States is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, along with China, France, Russia, and the United Kingdom. These five countries were selected as permanent members because they were considered to be the most powerful nations at the time of the creation of the United Nations in 1945, and they have veto power over any substantive resolution put forth by the Security Council.

Question 16

The war in Iraq began under __________ and ended under __________.
A) Bill Clinton; George H. W. Bush
B) Bill Clinton; George W. Bush
C) George H. W. Bush; George W. Bush
D) George W. Bush; Barack Obama

Accepted Answer

The war in Iraq began in 2003 under George W. Bush and officially ended in 2011 under Barack Obama's presidency.

Question 17

One of the primary purposes of the war in Afghanistan that was waged during the George W.Bush administration was to __________.
A) prevent the spread of communism
B) remove the Taliban government
C) protect religious freedom
D) retaliate for the bombing of the USS Cole

Accepted Answer

The primary purpose of the war in Afghanistan during the George W. Bush administration was to remove the Taliban government, which had allowed Al-Qaeda to operate freely from Afghan soil and had refused to turn over Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 attacks. While there were other factors and goals involved in the war, such as promoting democracy and stabilizing the region, the primary aim was to remove the Taliban from power.

Question 18

Which of the following countries has the most nuclear weapons?
A) Israel
B) China
C) Russia
D) the United States

Accepted Answer

Russia is known to have the largest stockpile of nuclear weapons in the world, surpassing even the United States in terms of total nuclear warheads.

Question 19

One highly visible element of U.S.foreign policy in recent years has been the pursuit of __________ and empowerment.
A) indigenous rights
B) gay rights
C) women's rights
D) civil rights

Accepted Answer

The U.S. has recently focused on promoting and empowering women's rights abroad, with initiatives such as the Women's Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative launched by the Trump administration, and the Biden administration prioritizing gender equality in its foreign policy agenda. While the U.S. has also been active in promoting civil rights, indigenous rights, and LGBT rights, the pursuit of women's rights has been a highly visible and increasingly prioritized element of foreign policy.

Question 20

Who heads the U.S.intelligence community?
A) the director of the Central Intelligence Agency
B) the Director of National Intelligence
C) the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
D) the vice president

Accepted Answer

The Director of National Intelligence (DNI) is the head of the U.S. intelligence community. This position was created in 2004 to oversee and coordinate the efforts of all sixteen agencies that make up the community. The DNI serves as the principal advisor to the president and other senior policymakers on matters related to national security and intelligence.

Quiz 18: Foreign and Defense Policy

Which international organization was created after World War II at the urging of the United States?

Who is preeminent in U.S.foreign and military policy?

Why was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization formed?

Which of the following countries is a member of NATO?

What is a primary responsibility of the Department of Defense?

Who serves on the Joint Chiefs of Staff?

Who is the largest trading partner with the United States?

Who instituted the Marshall Plan and who benefited directly from it?

Which Cabinet-level department has primary responsibility for U.S.foreign policy?

What is the role of the national security adviser?

The United States engaged in which of the following military conflicts in order to prevent the spread of communism?

What was the foreign policy of containment designed to prevent?

What was the main purpose of the Marshall Plan?

What event marked the end of the Cold War?

Which of the following countries is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council?

The war in Iraq began under and ended under .

One of the primary purposes of the war in Afghanistan that was waged during the George W.Bush administration was to __________.

Which of the following countries has the most nuclear weapons?

One highly visible element of U.S.foreign policy in recent years has been the pursuit of __________ and empowerment.

Who heads the U.S.intelligence community?