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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. When John Paul Vann is eventually recruited into the Army, what is his job intended to be?

2. What position is offered to John Paul Vann by Secretary of State Robert McNamara?

3. Starting in April, 1967, these event begin as a result of the growing VC numbers:

4. What is Robert Komer's nickname, given to him by Cabot Lodge, Jr.?

5. During 1967, John Paul Vann is working to set up the which organization?

Short Essay Questions

1. Who offers John Paul Vann a position as part of a national "brain trust" on Vietnam? What was John Paul Vann's reaction?

2. What do we know about John Paul Vann's lineage?

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

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

5. What word best describes John Paul Vann's mother, Myrtle Lee Tripp? Provide a justification for your answer.

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

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

8. What was John Paul Vann's strategy for turning the war in the United States' favor? How did this differ from the U.S. policy at the time?

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

10. One of the unique features of the Vietnam War was the war correspondent (a special type of journalist) that went to the war zone and reported on what was happening there. How did this affect how the U.S. military commanders conducted the war?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Using what you know about John Paul Vann's personality and character, why do you think he was always getting into disagreements (sometimes heated arguments) with his superiors and others in positions of authority over him? Pick one or two instances from the text where John Paul Vann had a major difference of opinion with an authority figure and expound on whether or not you agreed with him.

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

What were some of the key actions taken by the Diem administration in South Vietnam that adversely affected the opinion of the general population toward him and, by extension, toward the Americans that installed him in power? Please cite 2-3 examples and how the people of South Vietnam reacted to each policy or action taken.

(see the answer keys)

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