View a FREE sample

This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Which U.S. general becomes the object of ridicule among the American advisers and fighting personnel?

2. Who is Myrtle Tripp's first husband?

3. What is General Harkins' response to John Paul Vann's report of the battle?

4. After the failure of this person's second mission to Vietnam in 1966, this person begins to side with John Paul Vann's view of the war effort.

5. Medical treatment centers are established by USOM to help what group of people?

Short Essay Questions

1. With whom did John Paul Vann spend a great amount of his time growing up? Why?

2. In what year did John Paul Vann retire from the Army? When and how did he return to Vietnam?

3. In 1963, President Diem set off what was known as the "Buddhist Crisis". What was this and what was the eventual result of it?

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

5. By this time, what was the political situation in Saigon?

6. What media figure befriends John Paul Vann and is responsible for stealing and leaking the "Pentagon Papers" to the U.S. media? What strategy of John Paul Vann's did this person find most appealing?

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. 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?

9. Was John Paul Vann content to fulfill his new duties? Why or why not?

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

When Richard M. Nixon was elected president in 1968, what actions did he take with regard to the war in Vietnam? Provide 2-3 examples, along with your analysis of whether or not these actions helped or hindered the war effort. Also, how did Nixon's policies mesh or differ with the views espoused throughout the book by John Paul Vann?

Essay Topic 2

From what you recall in the book, please outline a brief background of the events before, during, and immediately after the tell-tale Battle of Ap Bac. Be sure to include the major events that led directly to the outcome of the confrontation, as well as the overall significance for this battle to the rest of the war.

Essay Topic 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 960 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample