Memoirs: Charles B. MacDonald, Company Commander: The Classic Infantry Memoir of World War
II. Michael Lee Lanning, Vietnam 1969-1970: A Company Commanders Journal. Michael Whetstone, Madness in Mogadishu: Commanding the 10th Mountain Division’s
Quick Reaction Company during Black Hawk Down.
Prompt: “The three memoirs you have been assigned provide you with a Company Commanders’
perspective of three very different conflicts: World War 2, Vietnam, and Somalia. In a 6-8 page
paper (no more, no less) students must answer the following research question: Using ONLY these
three officers’ experiences, how has the nature of conflict changed for American troops over the
course of these three conflicts?”
Here are just some questions to consider in answering the prompt, students may take a broad
approach that answers several of the following questions, or a narrow approach that tackles a
specific issue across the three conflicts – if unsure, students may clarify their approach with the
instructor beforehand.
• How has the type and nature of fighting changed?
• How has identifying the enemy changed? Here are just some questions to consider in answering the prompt, students may take a broad
approach that answers several of the following questions, or a narrow approach that tackles a
specific issue across the three conflicts – if unsure, students may clarify their approach with the
instructor beforehand.
• How has the type and nature of fighting changed?
• How has identifying the enemy changed?
• How are civilians in these conflict zones treated?
• How has the attitude towards taking casualties changed over time?
• What different challenges faced these officers during the different conflicts they served in?
As Company Commanders, did they all have to worry about the same issues? Or were there
unique issues depending on the conflict, or a mix of both?
• Is the issue of Draftees versus Professional Career soldiers a factor in the change that you
see? Or a factor for these officers?
• What changes or advances in military technology do you see as evident across these three
conflicts?
All papers must follow these guidelines: Student’s name, UIN and Paper Title on the top
of the first page. Each page must be numbered. You MUST use Times New Roman, font size 12,
and the line spacing can be no more than 1.5 times. You do NOT need a bibliography or cover
page (they will not be counted in the page count).
You must make use of in-text referencing when specifically referring to the memoirs, and
you may use direct quotes (with proper use of quotation marks). In text referencing must have the
book authors last name, followed by the relevant page number you are referring to. For example,
American forces were suspicious of the Somalis, and could not tell “who was a friend or foe”
(Whetstone, 98). Students should avoid using too much quoted material, no more than two direct
quotes per memoir (to a total of 6) may be used in your paper. Your papers will be graded on
clarity and argument (showing you read the material, understand it, and are answering the prompt
– don’t just repeat what the book says, tell me what is important based on the prompt I have
assigned), and spelling and grammar (Proofread your papers, excessive spelling or grammatical
mistakes will affect your grade).
An A paper will be well organized, clearly structured, clearly written and fully answers the
prompt above to clearly show the student engaged in class, read the memoirs, and understands the
concepts/issues/events they are discussing. • How are civilians in these conflict zones treated?
• How has the attitude towards taking casualties changed over time?
• What different challenges faced these officers during the different conflicts they served in?
As Company Commanders, did they all have to worry about the same issues? Or were there
unique issues depending on the conflict, or a mix of both?
• Is the issue of Draftees versus Professional Career soldiers a factor in the change that you
see? Or a factor for these officers?
• What changes or advances in military technology do you see as evident across these three
conflicts?
All papers must follow these guidelines: Student’s name, UIN and Paper Title on the top
of the first page. Each page must be numbered. You MUST use Times New Roman, font size 12,
and the line spacing can be no more than 1.5 times. You do NOT need a bibliography or cover
page (they will not be counted in the page count).
You must make use of in-text referencing when specifically referring to the memoirs, and
you may use direct quotes (with proper use of quotation marks). In text referencing must have the
book authors last name, followed by the relevant page number you are referring to. For example,
American forces were suspicious of the Somalis, and could not tell “who was a friend or foe”
(Whetstone, 98). Students should avoid using too much quoted material, no more than two direct
quotes per memoir (to a total of 6) may be used in your paper. Your papers will be graded on
clarity and argument (showing you read the material, understand it, and are answering the prompt
– don’t just repeat what the book says, tell me what is important based on the prompt I have
assigned), and spelling and grammar (Proofread your papers, excessive spelling or grammatical
mistakes will affect your grade).
An A paper will be well organized, clearly structured, clearly written and fully answers the
prompt above to clearly show the student engaged in class, read the memoirs, and understands the
concepts/issues/events they are discussing.
