Left for Dead

How does Nelson use the tragedy of the Indianapolis as a case study to illuminate the horrors of naval warfare and warfare in general?

Describe the factors outside of McVay’s control which contributed to the loss of lives of the Indianapolis’s crew. Why was the subsequent cover-up of these factors significant?

Choose one survivor to conduct a case study on. What were their experiences before, during, and in the days following the sinking? How did these experiences affect the rest of their life?

Describe the tactics used by the US navy at McVay’s court-martial to place blame unfairly upon McVay. Why was scapegoating McVay important to the navy? How did Hunter and his team successfully counter these tactics in bringing their own case?

How does Hunter’s campaign exemplify the idea of persevering in the face of adversity?

Do you believe it was wrong for the families of lost crewmen to send hateful mail to Captain McVay, who they deemed to be responsible for the incident? How does their reaction tie into the response of the American public to the original trial?

Describe the challenges, both physical and mental, faced by the survivors during their five nights and four days in the water. How do their experiences illustrate some of the book’s key themes?

Senator Smith suggests that a law “is not fair unless it’s evenly applied” (174). Describe how the law was not evenly applied in the case of Captain McVay. What significance does Senator Smith’s statement have within the context of democracy more generally?