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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. Who has Kerry relied on to support his claims of "war crimes" committed by American troops in Vietnam?

2. How much action did Kerry see during his first tour of duty?

3. What does Kerry claim his nickname was in Vietnam?

4. What does O'Neill call Kerry during his time in Vietnam?

5. What person did Kerry compare himself to during his tour?

Short Essay Questions

1. How did the assignment of the Swift Boats change, what was Kerry's response, and why did the other officers consider him to be a problem?

2. What is an example of the report that Kerry lacked the nerves for combat and often would overreact to situations?

3. How did the debate between O'Neill and Kerry begin, and what was the outcome?

4. What were the events surrounding the first Purple Heart medal that Kerry received, and why do the authors question its validity?

5. What were Kerry's reasons for choosing the Swift Boats to serve on?

6. How did O'Neill finally have the chance to debate Kerry in 1971?

7. What were the circumstances around the award of Kerry's second Purple Heart, and how does it parallel the first?

8. What is the significance of O'Neill's suggestion that the readers of the book view the video of the debate between him and Kerry?

9. What question did Lt. Ted Peck ask of Kerry shortly after he returned home, and why is Kerry's response revealing?

10. What does Captain Plumly report about Kerry's service, and how does that correspond to the reports of his trips to Saigon?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Why is it important for the authors to establish that their motives for writing the book are not political? Describe 2 examples of how they accomplish this. What does the time in which the book was released have to do with their effort to distance themselves from politics? How might their points be taken less seriously if they represented a candidate or had a political agenda? How is their case strengthened by focusing only on Kerry's war background and his inability to be the Commander in Chief?

Essay Topic 2

Kerry's testimony before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations is the catalyst for much of the book's objection to his ability to be the Commander in Chief.

1) Detail the statements made by Kerry, how they were perceived at the time, and why O'Neill and the other veterans objected to them so fiercely. Which ones were the most offensive or damaging? Why?

2) Who was the Committee made up of, and why was that important in their purpose and receptiveness to Kerry's testimony?

3) Who was responsible for writing Kerry's speech and how do Kerry's claims about it demonstrate his dishonesty?

Essay Topic 3

What are the questions the authors ask at the end of the Introduction? Why are the answers to them critical to the effectiveness of the authors' main points? What do the authors hope to accomplish with the rest of the book? How have they proven their sincerity in the Introduction, and how does that make them more credible?

(see the answer keys)

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