Foreign Service Officer Test - World Affairs
"Let one hundred flowers bloom" Correct Answer: Chairman Mao Zedong's "Let a hundred flowers
bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend". This slogan was used during the period of
approximately six weeks in the summer of 1957 when the Chinese intelligentsia were invited to criticize
the political system then obtaining in Communist China. It is sometimes suggested that the initiative was
a deliberate attempt to flush out dissidents by encouraging them to show themselves as critical of the
regime. Whether or not it was a deliberate trap isn't clear but it is the case that many of those who put
forward views that were unwelcome to Mao were executed.
absolute majority Correct Answer: more than 50% of all votes cast
accountability Correct Answer: the concept that government officials are responsible to and serve at
the pleasure of constituents or elected officials (and that they may be removed from office by those
electors or officials)
adjudicate Correct Answer: to resolve a matter in dispute; when backed up by the authority of
government the decision can be enforced
adjudication Correct Answer: the legal process of deciding an issue through the courts
Afghanistan and Bhutan Correct Answer: British buffer states for India
agricultural sector Correct Answer: that part of a country's economy that is involved in the production
of farm products
airspace Correct Answer: The space above a state that is considered its territory, in contrast to outer
space, which is considered international territory.
alliance cohesion Correct Answer: the ease with which the members hold together an alliance; tends to
be high when national interests converge & when cooperation among allies become institutionalized
Ambalat Correct Answer: Indonesia & Malaysia dispute this oil-rich sea area
America First Correct Answer: Founded in 1939 after Germany’s invasion of Poland, America First
was an isolationist group that opposed U.S. involvement in World War II. Many prominent Americans
were members, including aviator Charles Lindbergh. At its peak, America First had 800,000 members.
The organization disbanded shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
American Convention on Human Rights Correct Answer: The American Convention on Human Rights,
which entered into force in 1978, defines the human rights that the ratifying states of the Western
Hemisphere have agreed to foster through the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), an
autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS) headquartered in Washington, D.C. The
IACHR meets frequently, considers cases brought before it and gives priority to stimulating public
awareness in such areas as judicial independence, activities of irregular armed groups and the human
,rights of minors, women and indigenous peoples. The Convention also established the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights, located in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Andrei Gromyko Correct Answer: Soviet foreign minister (1957â€"85) and president (1985â€"88) of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Though never strongly identified with any political faction, he served
dependably as a skilled emissary and spokesman. He was ambassador to the U.S. (1943â€"46), Soviet
representative to the UN Security Council (1946â€"48), and ambassador to Britain (1952â€"53). In 1957
he began his long tenure as foreign minister and became renowned for his negotiating skills. In 1985 he
was promoted to the presidency, with great prestige but little power, after Mikhail Gorbachev came to
power.
Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides Correct Answer: 1906: Joint agreement between
England and France for cooperative government in the Pacific
Annexation of Baltic States Correct Answer: 1940 - The direct Soviet aggression against the Baltic
countries occurred on 14-17 June 1940 when the world’s attention was focused on the military
actions in Western Europe where Paris fell to the Germans on 14 June. Accusing Estonia of forming a
conspiracy together with Latvia and Lithuania against the Soviet Union, the latter presented an
ultimatum, demanding new concessions which included allowing more troops to enter the three
countries. In the conditions of international isolation, the governments surrendered without offering any
military resistance, and within a few days, the countries were invaded and occupied by several hundred
thousand soldiers of the Red Army. A few days later days, led by Stalin’s close associates, the local
communist supporters and those brought in from Russia, formally forced the Baltic governments to
resign and proclaimed new "people's governments" in the three occupied countries.
attentive public Correct Answer: the minority of the population that stays informed about international
issues
Austrian State Treaty Correct Answer: 1955 - 1955 in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied
occupying powers: France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union, and the
Austrian government and officially came into force on July 27, 1955.
authoritarianism Correct Answer: a political system in which a small group of individuals exercises
power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.
autocracy Correct Answer: a system of governance in which a small group has absolute power
autonomy Correct Answer: the degree to which a state can implement policies independent of the
populace or the amount of sovereignty a nation-state can exercise in the global environment
Azerbaijan & Armenia Correct Answer: Azerbaijan holds Naxcivan in Armenia and Armenia holds
Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
Bahrain vs. Qatar Correct Answer: Dispute over the Hawar Islands
Balfour Declaration Correct Answer: A formal statement of policy by the British government in 1917
stating, among other things, that the Jewish plans for a national home for their people within
,Palestine‎ was supported by the Britain. So -- Jews thought they had the right to live there,
Palestinians were already there and thought they had the right to stay. Conflict starts here.
Balkan independence Correct Answer: Croatia first, then Serbia. Bosnia in 1992 from Yugoslavia. Kosovo
last.
bandwagoning Correct Answer: smaller states join forces with larger states to gain power
Battle of Britain Correct Answer: June 1940â€"April 1941: Series of intense raids directed against Britain
by the German air force in World War II. The air attacks, intended to prepare the way for a German
invasion, were directed against British ports and RAF bases. In September 1940 the attacks turned to
London and other cities in a “blitz†of bombings for 57 consecutive nights, which was followed by
intermittent raids until April 1941. The RAF was outnumbered but succeeded in blocking the German air
force through superior tactics, advanced air defenses, and the penetration of German secret codes.
Belleau Wood Correct Answer: A forested area of northern France. In June 1918, it was the site of a
hard-fought and bloody American victory over the Germans. This battle was signicant in that it stopped
a German advance toward Paris
Berlin Blockade Correct Answer: 1948-1949 â€" Instituted by the Soviet Union in the hope that the
Allies would be forced to abandon West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift, a massive effort to supply the 2 million
West Berliners with food and fuel for heating began in June, 1948, and lasted until Sept., 1949, although
the Russians lifted the blockade in May of that year. During the around-the-clock airlift some 277,000
flights were made delivering an average of 8,000 tons of supplies daily.
Biological Weapons Convention Correct Answer: Entered into force in 1975, the Biological Weapons
Convention (BWC) had 151 member states in 2006. It provides that members of the Convention should
"never in any circumstances...develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain...Microbial or
other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in
quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes." The
Convention also imparts responsibilities on member nations to destroy all such weapons and their
means of delivery.
Border distinctions Correct Answer: Delimited borders are described; demarcated borders are surveyed
and marked.
Britain, China, Iran Correct Answer: Which of the states we have studied are unitary governments.
Bryan resigns Correct Answer: June 9, 1915 â€" Believing the strong language in Wilson’s note to
Germany after the sinking of the British ship Lusitania would lead the U.S. into an unnecessary war;
Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned his post.
bureaucracy Correct Answer: a hierarchically structured organization charged with carrying out the
policies determined by those with political authority
bureaucratic authoritarianism Correct Answer: A system in which the state bureaucracy and the military
share a belief that a technocratic leadership, focused on rational, objective, and technical expertise, can
solve the problems of the country without public participation.
, Bystroe Canal & Serpent Island Correct Answer: Disputed by Romania and Ukraine. ICJ split Serpent
Island in 2009. **Mouth of the Danube at issue**
cabinet Correct Answer: in a parliamentary system, the group of ministers who direct administrative
bureaucracies (ministries) and make up the government, which is responsible to the parliament; in a
presidential system, the administrative directors responsible to the president
Cameroon vs. Nigeria Correct Answer: Conflict over the Bakasi Peninsula; the ICJ ruled in favor of
Cameroon.
Camp David Accords Correct Answer: 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt
Cantigny Correct Answer: 1918 â€" A village of northern France south of Amiens. It was the site of the
first major U.S. offensive in World War I on May 28 1918.
capacity Correct Answer: the degree to which a government or state is able to implement its policies
carrying capacity Correct Answer: The number of people that an environment, such as the Earth, can
feed, provide water for, and otherwise sustain
Caspian Sea Access Correct Answer: There are crucial gas pipelines from Uzbekistan in this area. The
Caspian is the most successful example of the UN Law of the Sea
catch-all party Correct Answer: a political party whose aim is ot gather support from a broad range of
citizens through a de-emphasis of ideology and an emphasis on pragmatism, charismatic leadership, and
marketing
causation Correct Answer: a correlation in which a change in one variable results in a change in others
CENTO Correct Answer: 1955 - Central Treaty Organization: Mutual-security organization, originally
composed of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Britain. It was formed in 1955, at the urging of the U.S. and
Britain, to counter the threat of Soviet expansion into the Middle East. CENTO was never very effective.
Iraq withdrew after its anti-Soviet monarchy was overthrown in 1959. In that same year the U.S. became
an associate member, and CENTO's headquarters were moved to Ankara, Tur. After the fall of
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1979, Iran withdrew and CENTO was dissolved.
centrifugal forces Correct Answer: forces that divide and fragment societies
centripetal forces Correct Answer: forces that pull societies closer together
Ceuta Correct Answer: Spanish city on the tip of Morocco. Illegal immigration is an issue here.
charismatic legitimacy Correct Answer: Legitimacy built on the force of ideas embodied by an individual
leader.
Chechnya Correct Answer: Separatist movement from Russia; terrorist acts by Chechens have spurred
Russian intervention. Oil in the area exacerbates it.
"Let one hundred flowers bloom" Correct Answer: Chairman Mao Zedong's "Let a hundred flowers
bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend". This slogan was used during the period of
approximately six weeks in the summer of 1957 when the Chinese intelligentsia were invited to criticize
the political system then obtaining in Communist China. It is sometimes suggested that the initiative was
a deliberate attempt to flush out dissidents by encouraging them to show themselves as critical of the
regime. Whether or not it was a deliberate trap isn't clear but it is the case that many of those who put
forward views that were unwelcome to Mao were executed.
absolute majority Correct Answer: more than 50% of all votes cast
accountability Correct Answer: the concept that government officials are responsible to and serve at
the pleasure of constituents or elected officials (and that they may be removed from office by those
electors or officials)
adjudicate Correct Answer: to resolve a matter in dispute; when backed up by the authority of
government the decision can be enforced
adjudication Correct Answer: the legal process of deciding an issue through the courts
Afghanistan and Bhutan Correct Answer: British buffer states for India
agricultural sector Correct Answer: that part of a country's economy that is involved in the production
of farm products
airspace Correct Answer: The space above a state that is considered its territory, in contrast to outer
space, which is considered international territory.
alliance cohesion Correct Answer: the ease with which the members hold together an alliance; tends to
be high when national interests converge & when cooperation among allies become institutionalized
Ambalat Correct Answer: Indonesia & Malaysia dispute this oil-rich sea area
America First Correct Answer: Founded in 1939 after Germany’s invasion of Poland, America First
was an isolationist group that opposed U.S. involvement in World War II. Many prominent Americans
were members, including aviator Charles Lindbergh. At its peak, America First had 800,000 members.
The organization disbanded shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
American Convention on Human Rights Correct Answer: The American Convention on Human Rights,
which entered into force in 1978, defines the human rights that the ratifying states of the Western
Hemisphere have agreed to foster through the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), an
autonomous organ of the Organization of American States (OAS) headquartered in Washington, D.C. The
IACHR meets frequently, considers cases brought before it and gives priority to stimulating public
awareness in such areas as judicial independence, activities of irregular armed groups and the human
,rights of minors, women and indigenous peoples. The Convention also established the Inter-American
Court of Human Rights, located in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Andrei Gromyko Correct Answer: Soviet foreign minister (1957â€"85) and president (1985â€"88) of the
Presidium of the Supreme Soviet. Though never strongly identified with any political faction, he served
dependably as a skilled emissary and spokesman. He was ambassador to the U.S. (1943â€"46), Soviet
representative to the UN Security Council (1946â€"48), and ambassador to Britain (1952â€"53). In 1957
he began his long tenure as foreign minister and became renowned for his negotiating skills. In 1985 he
was promoted to the presidency, with great prestige but little power, after Mikhail Gorbachev came to
power.
Anglo-French Condominium of the New Hebrides Correct Answer: 1906: Joint agreement between
England and France for cooperative government in the Pacific
Annexation of Baltic States Correct Answer: 1940 - The direct Soviet aggression against the Baltic
countries occurred on 14-17 June 1940 when the world’s attention was focused on the military
actions in Western Europe where Paris fell to the Germans on 14 June. Accusing Estonia of forming a
conspiracy together with Latvia and Lithuania against the Soviet Union, the latter presented an
ultimatum, demanding new concessions which included allowing more troops to enter the three
countries. In the conditions of international isolation, the governments surrendered without offering any
military resistance, and within a few days, the countries were invaded and occupied by several hundred
thousand soldiers of the Red Army. A few days later days, led by Stalin’s close associates, the local
communist supporters and those brought in from Russia, formally forced the Baltic governments to
resign and proclaimed new "people's governments" in the three occupied countries.
attentive public Correct Answer: the minority of the population that stays informed about international
issues
Austrian State Treaty Correct Answer: 1955 - 1955 in Vienna at the Schloss Belvedere among the Allied
occupying powers: France, the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union, and the
Austrian government and officially came into force on July 27, 1955.
authoritarianism Correct Answer: a political system in which a small group of individuals exercises
power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.
autocracy Correct Answer: a system of governance in which a small group has absolute power
autonomy Correct Answer: the degree to which a state can implement policies independent of the
populace or the amount of sovereignty a nation-state can exercise in the global environment
Azerbaijan & Armenia Correct Answer: Azerbaijan holds Naxcivan in Armenia and Armenia holds
Nagorno-Karabakh region in Azerbaijan
Bahrain vs. Qatar Correct Answer: Dispute over the Hawar Islands
Balfour Declaration Correct Answer: A formal statement of policy by the British government in 1917
stating, among other things, that the Jewish plans for a national home for their people within
,Palestine‎ was supported by the Britain. So -- Jews thought they had the right to live there,
Palestinians were already there and thought they had the right to stay. Conflict starts here.
Balkan independence Correct Answer: Croatia first, then Serbia. Bosnia in 1992 from Yugoslavia. Kosovo
last.
bandwagoning Correct Answer: smaller states join forces with larger states to gain power
Battle of Britain Correct Answer: June 1940â€"April 1941: Series of intense raids directed against Britain
by the German air force in World War II. The air attacks, intended to prepare the way for a German
invasion, were directed against British ports and RAF bases. In September 1940 the attacks turned to
London and other cities in a “blitz†of bombings for 57 consecutive nights, which was followed by
intermittent raids until April 1941. The RAF was outnumbered but succeeded in blocking the German air
force through superior tactics, advanced air defenses, and the penetration of German secret codes.
Belleau Wood Correct Answer: A forested area of northern France. In June 1918, it was the site of a
hard-fought and bloody American victory over the Germans. This battle was signicant in that it stopped
a German advance toward Paris
Berlin Blockade Correct Answer: 1948-1949 â€" Instituted by the Soviet Union in the hope that the
Allies would be forced to abandon West Berlin. The Berlin Airlift, a massive effort to supply the 2 million
West Berliners with food and fuel for heating began in June, 1948, and lasted until Sept., 1949, although
the Russians lifted the blockade in May of that year. During the around-the-clock airlift some 277,000
flights were made delivering an average of 8,000 tons of supplies daily.
Biological Weapons Convention Correct Answer: Entered into force in 1975, the Biological Weapons
Convention (BWC) had 151 member states in 2006. It provides that members of the Convention should
"never in any circumstances...develop, produce, stockpile or otherwise acquire or retain...Microbial or
other biological agents, or toxins whatever their origin or method of production, of types and in
quantities that have no justification for prophylactic, protective or other peaceful purposes." The
Convention also imparts responsibilities on member nations to destroy all such weapons and their
means of delivery.
Border distinctions Correct Answer: Delimited borders are described; demarcated borders are surveyed
and marked.
Britain, China, Iran Correct Answer: Which of the states we have studied are unitary governments.
Bryan resigns Correct Answer: June 9, 1915 â€" Believing the strong language in Wilson’s note to
Germany after the sinking of the British ship Lusitania would lead the U.S. into an unnecessary war;
Secretary of State William Jennings Bryan resigned his post.
bureaucracy Correct Answer: a hierarchically structured organization charged with carrying out the
policies determined by those with political authority
bureaucratic authoritarianism Correct Answer: A system in which the state bureaucracy and the military
share a belief that a technocratic leadership, focused on rational, objective, and technical expertise, can
solve the problems of the country without public participation.
, Bystroe Canal & Serpent Island Correct Answer: Disputed by Romania and Ukraine. ICJ split Serpent
Island in 2009. **Mouth of the Danube at issue**
cabinet Correct Answer: in a parliamentary system, the group of ministers who direct administrative
bureaucracies (ministries) and make up the government, which is responsible to the parliament; in a
presidential system, the administrative directors responsible to the president
Cameroon vs. Nigeria Correct Answer: Conflict over the Bakasi Peninsula; the ICJ ruled in favor of
Cameroon.
Camp David Accords Correct Answer: 1979 peace agreement between Israel and Egypt
Cantigny Correct Answer: 1918 â€" A village of northern France south of Amiens. It was the site of the
first major U.S. offensive in World War I on May 28 1918.
capacity Correct Answer: the degree to which a government or state is able to implement its policies
carrying capacity Correct Answer: The number of people that an environment, such as the Earth, can
feed, provide water for, and otherwise sustain
Caspian Sea Access Correct Answer: There are crucial gas pipelines from Uzbekistan in this area. The
Caspian is the most successful example of the UN Law of the Sea
catch-all party Correct Answer: a political party whose aim is ot gather support from a broad range of
citizens through a de-emphasis of ideology and an emphasis on pragmatism, charismatic leadership, and
marketing
causation Correct Answer: a correlation in which a change in one variable results in a change in others
CENTO Correct Answer: 1955 - Central Treaty Organization: Mutual-security organization, originally
composed of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, and Britain. It was formed in 1955, at the urging of the U.S. and
Britain, to counter the threat of Soviet expansion into the Middle East. CENTO was never very effective.
Iraq withdrew after its anti-Soviet monarchy was overthrown in 1959. In that same year the U.S. became
an associate member, and CENTO's headquarters were moved to Ankara, Tur. After the fall of
Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi in 1979, Iran withdrew and CENTO was dissolved.
centrifugal forces Correct Answer: forces that divide and fragment societies
centripetal forces Correct Answer: forces that pull societies closer together
Ceuta Correct Answer: Spanish city on the tip of Morocco. Illegal immigration is an issue here.
charismatic legitimacy Correct Answer: Legitimacy built on the force of ideas embodied by an individual
leader.
Chechnya Correct Answer: Separatist movement from Russia; terrorist acts by Chechens have spurred
Russian intervention. Oil in the area exacerbates it.
