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The most serious scandal in the presidency of Ronald Reagan was [BLANK-1] of the mid-1980s. Reagan administration officials in the National Security Council violated the Boland Amendment and sold arms to a foreign government (against congressional orders) in order to fund a group opposed to Nicaragua’s Sandinista government (also against congressional orders). This serious violation of U.S. law bordered on treason. While no smoking gun could be found tying the president officially to the scandal, congresspersons on both sides of the aisle and historians formed a consensus that the orders would not have been carried out without Ronald Reagan’s approval. Senior NSC official Oliver North took full responsibility for the incident in order to protect Reagan and was indicted on 16 serious criminal charges. This scandal seriously tarnished the legacy of Ronald Reagan and the Republican Party of the 1980s.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower criticized the Military Industrial Complex and massive defense spending, despite being a former five-star general and supreme commander of allied forces during WWII. In his speech, [BLANK-1], Eisenhower identified the problems associated with the incredible funds spent on defense and encouraged an easing of tensions during the Cold War.

[BLANK-1] occurred in March of 1965 and became known as “Bloody Sunday.” Civil Rights protestors organized by Martin Luther King, Jr. and James Bevel were attacked by white authority figures, doused with tear gas, and beaten with batons. One white protestor, James Reeb, was murdered later that week. This non-violent protest was aimed primarily at improving voting rights for African Americans and it succeeded. Shortly after the protest, President Lyndon B. Johnson presented the Voting Rights Act to congress, which would pass it later in the year.

Heading into the presidential primary, liberals were in turmoil; incumbent President Lyndon B. Johnson had declined to seek reelection in a surprise move, and his probably successor, Robert F. Kennedy (the brother of John F. Kennedy), was assassinated by a madman while on the campaign trail. This made the atmosphere heading into the candidate selection process chaotic. Protests outside of [BLANK-1] in Chicago led to police beatings and brutality and the injuries of hundreds of protestors. Spectators watched the event live, on television, and it contributed to the sense of civil breakdown in a year of unprecedented violence and unrest.

[BLANK-1], the nationalist leader of Vietnam, had been backed by the United States during Vietnam’s fight against the Japanese in World War II, but by 1945 the leader was pushing for independence from France and even turned to the Soviet Union for assistance. During the Cold War, this figure turned into a major opponent of the United States, eventually leading his country to victory over the USA in the Vietnam War.

Adolf Hitler was motivated to betray the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and to attack his ally, the Soviet Union, based on the Soviet Union’s very poor performance fighting the Finns in [BLANK-1]. During this conflict early in World War II, U.S.S.R. forces struggled mightily to defeat Finland, despite the Soviets having far greater numbers and superior technology. Hitler thus assumed that if the U.S.S.R. could barely beat Finland, that Nazi Germany would have no trouble defeating the Soviets.

[BLANK-1] was one of the largest labor organizations in America during the late-nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. This organization was more exclusive than most – not only limiting membership to white men, but also to skilled workers. It advocated for more than just better working conditions – it was a response to the rise in scientific management and the decline in the personal autonomy of the worker.

Republican [BLANK-1] was the most vocal critic of the Treaty of Versailles, The Fourteen Points, and America’s admission to the League of Nations. This senator favored American isolationism and spoke out against Woodrow Wilson’s attempts to ensure a lasting peace after World War I. His efforts were successful; America failed to join the League of Nations (which was Wilson’s idea) and failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles. These results weakened the League of Nations and contributed, ultimately, to the conditions that led to World War II.

Part 3 Essay Question [40%]:Your essay should have an introduction with a clear and specific thesis, a body with evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your central argument. Select the option you feel the most comfortable with and answer it to the best of your ability.Choose ONE (1) of the following options:What were the main challenges to capitalism and democracy in America during the 1930s and 1940s? Describe the America First Committee and the Popular Front; in what ways did these groups present serious alternatives to capitalism and democracy in the United States? Who were prominent members or supporters of both groups? In what ways did the United Kingdom encourage the United States to reaffirm its commitment to capitalism and democracy and attempt to convince the United States to intervene against the fascists during WWII?What were Adolf Hitler’s motivations for war in the lead-up to WWII? What evidence suggests that Hitler initially wanted to fight a limited war of expansion rather than a total war? In what ways did Hitler’s interference in military operations contribute to Germany’s defeat during WWII? Be sure to use specific evidence.Why does the phrase “look to the sky, keep looking, keep watching the sky!” reflect several fears that ordinary Americans had during the 1950s and 1960s? Why would Americans believe that threats to their lives or way of life would come from the sky? What evidence do you have to support your claim? What was MAD and who supported it? Who were some critics of MAD and what were their arguments against the policy?

Part 2 [8% points each = 40% total] Short Identification Questions (IDs):A short answer ID should briefly address the basic journalistic questions: who or what, when, where, and why. Each term should be at least 4-5 sentences long. Be sure to discuss the significance. Write an answer for FIVE (5) of the following, even if you must guess somewhat (partial credit is better than none):The Battle of MidwayThe Battle of StalingradGen. Dwight D. EisenhowerThe Glass-Steagall ActHUACLebensraumMADThe Smoot-Hawley TariffSoviet Satellite StatesThe Truman Doctrine