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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 phrase below best describes the relationship of Frank Vann with his sons?

2. What is the name of John Paul Vann's sweetheart and (eventual) wife?

3. What is the name of John Paul Vann's most beloved father figure?

4. According to John Paul Vann, the Vietnamese colonels in Saigon are best described as:

5. Who is President of the United States when America expands the war into Cambodia in 1970?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did John Paul Vann react to the ARVN "victory" at Ap Bac? How did General Harkins accept John Paul Vann's assessment?

2. What prominent CIA figure eventually adopted and promoted John Paul Vann's assessment of the Vietnam War? Why was this person important?

3. What new war tactic, employed by the U.S. marines in 1965, particularly disgusted John Paul Vann and why?

4. Why did General Harkins feel the way he did about John Paul Vann's report?

5. Following the inconclusive, but embarrassing, result of Ap Bac, General Huynh Van Cao launched a dummy attack on the same location. Why did he do this? What was the result?

6. Which parent did the majority of the household chores in the Vann home? Why?

7. What were the findings of General Krulak and the other military leaders with regard to the Battle of Ap Bac? How did John Paul Vann react?

8. How and where did John Paul Vann die? Provide details.

9. Where did the Vann family live during John Paul Vann's childhood?

10. What did General Westmoreland feel was the key to victory?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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?

Essay Topic 2

John Paul Vann retired from the military in 1963. However, he re-enlisted to serve in Vietnam as a civilian with the Agency for International Development (AID) just two years later, in 1965. Briefly explain why you think John Paul Vann would make that decision and support your answer with information given in the text.

Essay Topic 3

In many respects, Vietnam was considered to be the first "helicopter war". Based on your readings, do you think this is an accurate description? How did John Paul Vann and other commanders make use of "choppers" in the book? Please give 2-3 examples.

(see the answer keys)

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