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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 dissolves among American soldiers after Ia Drang?

2. Why do many soldiers miss details that could have kept them alive?

3. What does one soldier do when he sees Herr's bloody nose?

4. What is the name of the river by Hue?

5. When is Herr in Vietnam?

Short Essay Questions

1. How does the news of Day Tripper and Mayhew affect Herr's time at China Beach?

2. How does the presence of the correspondents lend importance to missions and also detract from the importance of the soldiers job?

3. What timeframe is Herr writing during? Is there any significance to the fact that he is writing at this time?

4. Describe the mortar attack in which Herr is injured, his understanding of the situation, and the possible truth about the soldier's laughter.

5. Who are Day Tripper and Mayhew? What does Herr do with them?

6. Why do soldiers take body part trophies? Does drug use play a role in this practice?

7. Discuss Page's wound and his recovery.

8. What is the result of the siege at Khe Sanh?

9. Describe the reaction Herr has to seeing dead bodies and how the soldiers react when they kill the enemy.

10. Describe the stories Herr hears from the soldiers.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the rock and roll culture in America during the 1960s. How did the music parallel the political environment of the decade? How did the lives of the rock artists mimic the experiences of the Vietnam soldiers?

Essay Topic 2

Discuss the actions of the war correspondents in Vietnam. Are the correspondents always professional? Why do they take unnecessary risks? What type of reports do they send back to the States? What governing body edits the reports written in the field? Are all the reporters in Vietnam actual war correspondents?

Essay Topic 3

Discuss the use of illegal drugs and marijuana among Vietnam soldiers. Why were the drugs used? How were they obtained? What effect did the drugs have on the soldiers? What happened when strung out soldiers returned to the United States? Did the use of drugs in Vietnam influence the drug culture in America? How so?

(see the answer keys)

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