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. The soldier manages to dive behind a ____ to keep from being shot.

2. How many of the civilians get away?

3. Aircraft from which group flies overhead during the battle?

4. What separates this area from the open ocean?

5. The _____ platoon of Alpha Company meets up with Downs' troops.

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens to the wounded men? What can the soldiers do to save them?

2. How and why is Downs rewarded for his actions in the field?

3. Explain the trip to the area around the Tam Ky province. What is the general atmosphere of the area.

4. How does Downs win the battle with the NVA soldier?

5. Explain Downs' escape and the attack on the other men.

6. What happens to a soldier from the Alpha Company's 3-6 platoon?

7. Explain what the author means by the genocidal aspect of the war. How does Downs justify this behavior?

8. Sells sends Downs and his men on a foot patrol. Where does Sells send the men? What change has there been in personnel?

9. Explain the scene in which the Alpha Company engages in a large scale battle.

10. Discuss at least one way in which the American soldiers can attack the Vietcong without being located.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Discuss the statistics mentioned in the book. Explore the accuracy of the details. What other details should have been included? Which details may have been more pertinent? What else should have been said about the end of the war? How did the end of the war affect the hundreds of thousands of military personnel and their families? Were there any other wars in recent history that equaled the one in Vietnam?

Essay Topic 2

In addition to physical damage and recovery, many soldiers face temporary or permanent psychological damage. Discuss this fact as it applies to the book. Who may have suffered from psychological damage? How did Downs deal with his psychological issues first when he returned stateside and attempted to become a civilian to each incident when he was injured? How did Downs handle it when he was discharged from the military?

Essay Topic 3

Examine the extensive type of treatment that Downs had to receive as a result of the gunshot wound and eventual amputation. What kind of preliminary treatment did Downs receive? What is the biggest danger to a soldier immediately following an encounter with a land mine? What is the worst part of the recovery? What actions can be taken to help amputees? How did Downs fare after his treatments?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 841 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample