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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 is the President of the Republic of Vietnam's French name?

2. The helicopters that carry the ARVN troops to the battle location are affectionately known by what name?

3. Which United States President oversees the rapid escalation of the war in Vietnam?

4. Which intelligence officer, assigned to work with Vann, lives by the motto "know your foe", setting up an elaborate system of informants and launching an exhaustive data file on the Vietcong?

5. President Diem's younger brother, Ngo Dinh Nhu, is relied upon for his military and political advise despite the fact he has a(n) _______________ dependency.

Short Essay Questions

1. What other significant figures are introduced during this introductory section of the book? List two or three of them.

2. 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?

3. How does the United States initially get more involved in South Vietnamese politics in 1962?

4. What is the preliminary intelligence report given by Jim Drummond and the eavesdroppers in the Otters concerning the size and capabilities of the VC force at Ap Bac?

5. What are some of the many diverse features of the populace in South Vietnam that prevented a strong, unified front against the Viet Cong?

6. Which American adviser is responsible for drawing up the basic plan of attack for the ARVN?

7. What important political trends are taking place in North Vietnam and South Vietnam in the early 1960s?

8. Discuss the significance of John Paul Vann's promotion to senior adviser for a corps region. How is this significant?

9. What are some of the difficulties in getting the South Vietnamese prepared to engage the Viet Cong?

10. In 1962, what is the United States' stated primary role in Vietnam?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Based on what you have read in the Sheehan book, please describe, compare, and contrast the overall war strategy of General Westmoreland and the North Vietnamese under Ho Chi Minh. How were the strategies different and which do you think was the better overall plan for victory? Why?

Essay Topic 2

What was the U.S. military's rationale for the burning of villages policy enacted in August, 1965? Given his strong desire to defeat the Vietcong, why did John Paul Vann disassociate himself from the practice in a very vocal way? Did John Paul Vann believe that the U.S. marines could have pursued a better course of action? If so, what was it?

Essay Topic 3

What were some of John Paul Vann's specific duties and responsibilities as a civilian member of the Agency for International Development (AID) in Vietnam? How did the efforts of this agency improve the conditions of the war for combatants and innocents alike? Was John Paul Vann satisfied with the scope of his AID directives? If not, why not? What more did he feel he needed to do?

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