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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 only advantage the platoon has over the VC at Hoi-Vuc?

2. What meal does Caputo order in Saigon that surprises the French speaking waiter?

3. What is the joke Sgt. Hamilton says outside the adjutant's tent?

4. What do they do so that the VC corpses will not look recently uninterred?

5. What is the name of the operation C Company is waiting to begin?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Caputo order the village fired upon by white phosphorus shells?

2. What is the ridiculous hold up in getting the evac helicopters to the platoon?

3. Why is the chaplain upset?

4. How does the platoon snap and go on a rampage/

5. What becomes Caputo's chief responsibility and how does he begin to see himself?

6. Coming across a clearing, how does Caputo manage to get to the other side?

7. What are some of the contradictions Caputo itemizes about the war?

8. Under assault conditions, what is the assistant adjutant's responsibility?

9. Why are the men of C Company pleased about the treats sent to them?

10. How serious are the results of the assault?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Write an essay about the American withdrawal from Vietnam. It has gone down in history as the first war the Americans ever lost. Express your opinion in the paper about how the pullout affected the worldwide view of America as a Democracy.

Essay Topic 2

Hurry up and wait is a common complaint in the military. However, it is not a phenomenon limited to the armed forces. Write a paper discussing everyday situations where we must meet appointments only to have to sit and wait. [e.g., the doctor's or dentist's office, the DMV, a long line at a movie premier, etc.] Make this paper as humorous as possible.

Essay Topic 3

Write a paper on the need of many men to prove their manhood. Express your opinion as to why this is something Caputo mentions several times in the book. Besides war, what are ways some men choose to prove to themselves that they are real men? Express your opinion as to whether such behavior is necessary.

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