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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which of the following generals is the commanding officer of U.S. personnel in Vietnam in 1962?

2. On what day does the attack at Ap Bac begin?

3. How many Viet Cong guerrillas are entrenched in defensive positions at Ap Bac?

4. The ARVN forces are often sent to level villages suspected of being what?

5. The headquarters of the 7th Infantry Division of the ARVN is called:

Short Essay Questions

1. As adviser to the 7th Infantry Division of the ARVN, John Paul Vann is responsible for the defense and preservation of what area in Vietnam?

2. Based on what you learned in this section, describe briefly John Paul Vann's physical appearance.

3. Why is the use of terminology in reference to Ho Chi Minh's forces important for the Americans and South Vietnamese to establish?

4. Why do you believe General Harkins and others in the United States' military and intelligence communities put so much stock into the opinions of Vietnamese military leaders like General Huynh Van Cao, often at the expense of more sound advice from their own people, like John Paul Vann?

5. Why is the Battle of Ap Bac considered perhaps the most important confrontation of the entire Vietnam War?

6. John Paul Vann retires from the military in 1963, only to go back to Vietnam with the AID in 1965 and serve until his death in 1972. Based on what we've learned from "The Funeral" section, why do you think he does this?

7. What political policies of Diem in particular lead to growing dissatisfaction with him and his regime among the South Vietnamese people and, eventually, the Americans as well?

8. Why are the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) referred to as "Viet Cong"?

9. From this brief vignette of the funeral of John Paul Vann, what facts can we glean about his life and personality?

10. Briefly describe some of the things John Paul Vann did that get him categorized as lucky by those with whom he served.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

When Richard M. Nixon was elected president in 1968, what actions did he take with regard to the war in Vietnam? Provide 2-3 examples, along with your analysis of whether or not these actions helped or hindered the war effort. Also, how did Nixon's policies mesh or differ with the views espoused throughout the book by John Paul Vann?

Essay Topic 2

President John Kennedy wanted to approach the situation in South Vietnam with a tactic he termed "Counter Insurgency" (COIN). What was counter-insurgency and how was it implemented? Did it have the effect that JFK wanted it to? Why or why not? Would the program have been more effective if it were implemented earlier or in a more aggressive way? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Briefly outline the major influential factors in John Paul Vann's childhood from his earliest recollections until the time he joined the Armed forces. Please note the significant factors that may have had a strong influence on him as a boy and helped shape who he became as a man later on. To what extent do you feel his environment affected his personality (if at all)?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 1,064 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample