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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 types of bombers were believed to be key to the war-effort?

2. German soldiers were typically stereotyped as being which of the following?

3. Italians were considered to prefer which of the following to war?

4. How did much of the American public react to initial reports of violence, chaos and casualty figures?

5. Why did enlisted men require an "anodyne"?

Short Essay Questions

1. What writer is a notable exception to the normal treatment of enlisted men, and how did he differ?

2. How did contemporaneous war histories depict military blunders?

3. What was the doctrine of precision bombing?

4. According to the author, how common are military blunders and what are their causes?

5. What drinks were preferred by men from different nations in the war?

6. Once they were in the war, how did Americans believe they could win it?

7. How was military jargon and vocabulary used to demean enlisted men?

8. What qualities epitomized the American forces prior to their entry into WWII?

9. Why did many soldiers require an anodyne?

10. How and when was alcohol used as an anodyne?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Drunkenness was rampant in the ranks of the enlisted men. The author states that heavy drinking usually began early in stateside training, and stopped (temporarily) only when alcohol was not available.

1) Explain why so many soldiers turned to drinking throughout the war.

2) Discuss the prevalence of drunkenness and alcoholism in the ranks of the enlisted men.

3) Describe some of the problems brought on by this tendency. What did the American public think about their soldiers and what health problems and other dangers did these soldiers face?

Essay Topic 2

When it entered into World War II, America was at a disadvantage in terms of its equipment, and struggled long and hard to correct these problems.

1) Explain the state of military equipment in the American army when the US entered the war. Discuss some of the problems in design, scale and distribution.

2) Describe some of the consequences of these inadequacies for American troops on the battlefield.

3) Discuss the process that brought America's army up to date and in line with modern standards.

Essay Topic 3

The reading experience of citizens and soldiers alike during the war was bland and uniform. In the media and even in other mediums such as fiction, poetry, and films, there was a tendency towards homogenization that became mind-numbing to many.

1) Discuss the general reading experience of soldiers and citizens during World War II. Explain some of the problems in the publishing industry from an entertainment perspective.

2) Describe the common American soldiers interest in reading and how, why, and when this distraction became common in the ranks.

3) Explain some of the changes in the publishing market that were brought about by the war.

(see the answer keys)

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