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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. What does a cynic say about the Navy Crosses Corporal Gautier has won?

2. What happens to an old Vietnamese woman chewing a beetle?

3. One night under attack, how does Sergeant Mora show up in a foxhole?

4. What are SLJOs?

5. Who was the first KIA in 1st Battalion?

Short Essay Questions

1. What are some of the contradictions Caputo itemizes about the war?

2. Why is the old Vietnamese man lucky the night of the interrogation?

3. How does the platoon snap and go on a rampage/

4. Under assault conditions, what is the assistant adjutant's responsibility?

5. Why does Caputo volunteer for the line?

6. What becomes Caputo's chief responsibility and how does he begin to see himself?

7. What does Caputo say about the effect of his job as Regimental Casualty Reporting Officer?

8. What work has to be done as the Regimental HQ is moved to Dai-La Pass?

9. Why does Caputo order the village fired upon by white phosphorus shells?

10. What effect does Colonel Nickerson have on the morale of the Marines?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Mob frenzy is an interesting phenomenon. Starting from the total destruction of the village after the Claymore wounded or killed so many men, write a paper on mob mentality and how it causes people to get caught up in the moment without thinking. Compare that to some incident in recent history that you know about.

Essay Topic 2

Self-preservation is a big consideration for anyone. In the case of Vietnam, there was no way to look at a person and know if he or she was South Vietnamese or VietCong. Write your opinion about the moral dilemma of having to make such a determination and whether it is right to err on the side of personal safety.

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay about the American withdrawal from Vietnam. It has gone down in history as the first war the Americans ever lost. Express your opinion in the paper about how the pullout affected the worldwide view of America as a Democracy.

(see the answer keys)

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