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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. According to several Swift Boat officers, how did Kerry respond when the Swiftees were ordered into combat?

2. What was the purpose of Kerry's unauthorized trips to Saigon?

3. How did Kerry injure himself during his time with the skimmer?

4. Why was Kerry eventually given offshore assignments by commanders at Cat Lo?

5. What do his crew and witnesses of a refueling event on the way to An Thoi say Kerry lied about?

Short Essay Questions

1. What question did Lt. Ted Peck ask of Kerry shortly after he returned home, and why is Kerry's response revealing?

2. What were the circumstances around the award of Kerry's second Purple Heart, and how does it parallel the first?

3. What was the content of Kerry's testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, and why did it anger O'Neill so much?

4. What is the significance of O'Neill's suggestion that the readers of the book view the video of the debate between him and Kerry?

5. What happened in the infamous sampan incident, where a mother and her child were found, and how did Kerry respond?

6. What was the conversation between Kerry and the Captain of an LST en route to An Thoi, and why do the authors dispute it?

7. What was the length of a normal tour of duty, how did Kerry's time in the war compare to it, and how did the other officers regard his actions?

8. What were Kerry's reasons for choosing the Swift Boats to serve on?

9. What is an example of the report that Kerry lacked the nerves for combat and often would overreact to situations?

10. How did O'Neill finally have the chance to debate Kerry in 1971?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

O'Neill gives a first hand account of the Swift Boat Veterans Reunion in 2003.

1) Describe the events of the reunion, Kerry's reception and actions, and how they compared with the other Swift Boat Veterans' reception and actions. Why is that contrast significant?

2) Who is Joe Ponder? Why does O'Neill think he had the most memorable moment of the reunion? How does Ponder's part in the reunion add to the doubt the authors are showing as far as Kerry's credibility is concerned?

Essay Topic 2

Following Kerry's testimony, many soldiers in Vietnam experienced the backlash from it. Describe three ways that Kerry's speech was used against the soldiers in the war and why it was an effective tool for the enemy. Also, explain the effect Kerry's testimony had on the soldiers who were returning home and the reception they received.

Essay Topic 3

The Vietnam Veterans Against the War was a big part of Kerry's anti-war agenda and the start of his political ambitions.

1) How did the VVAW begin and why was Kerry chosen to be the leader?

2) Who were the primary members of the VVAW and why did their identities prevent their claims from being taken seriously?

3) Describe 3 events involving the VVAW that illustrate their motives and unethical actions.

(see the answer keys)

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