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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. To what dystopian novel does Grossman compare military conditioning in Chapter 2?

2. What is a common feature of natural warriors presented in Chapter 5?

3. In Chapter 5, to what group did the German defector interviewed switch?

4. In RB Anderson's excerpt in Chapter 1, what aspect of Vietnam does he claim non-vets do not understand?

5. Which of the following is not a means of recuperation Grossman endorses for PTSD in Chapter 3?

Short Essay Questions

1. What factors traditionally assist in rationalization and acceptance after combat?

2. What factors contribute to a soldier's decision to commit an atrocity?

3. What hypothetical situation does Grossman relate in Chapter 3?

4. What factors does Grossman say are contributing to youth violence in Chapter 1?

5. In Chapter 6, what factors contribute to a soldier's decision to kill in the chart presented and discussed?

6. Why was combat in Vietnam particularly dirty, as described in Chapter 2?

7. What evidence does Grossman provide that violence among youth has increased dramatically since the 1950s?

8. In Chapter 5, how does Grossman illustrate the danger of refusing to take part in an atrocity?

9. What solution did the American military devise to deal with low firing rates in World War II?

10. What separates a natural warrior from a psychopath?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Much of the last part of ON KILLING deals with comparing the way the military conditions soldiers and media conditions young people in America. Write an essay charting and analyzing this comparison. What are the means of traditional and conditioning in either arena? How do the authorities of the military training compare to those that young people in America listen to? What finer points does military training place on conditioning that the media in civilian life does not?

Essay Topic 2

Much of Grossman's book is dedicated to explaining how the Vietnam War was rifer with psychiatric casualties than any previous war. Write an essay comparing the Vietnam conflict to previous conflicts in several regards. What factors were in play that made it more detrimental to servicemen? What support did they lack, on the whole? In essence, how did these failings manifest themselves, and have they since been addressed?

Part 1) Unit cohesion

Part 2) Mature, experienced leadership

Part 3) Public validation upon return

Essay Topic 3

In the first section of ON KILLING, the author argues that the soldier has more options on a battlefield than simply fight or flight. In an essay, discuss these options and particularly the most common one taken: posture. Firstly, why is fight-or-flight not a legitimate choice in a fight between two humans? What other two options are open to humans in this case? What makes posturing such an attractive option, and how has the development of firearms only improved a soldier's ability to posture?

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