Philip Caputo’s A Rumor of War tells the story of a man’s demoralization during the Vietnam war and how it is associated with a refusal to any direct guilt for his own actions in that war. Throughout the book, you can sense the murderousness that comes from Caputo due to several reasons. Although, at the end of the book, he does not confess this murderousness urge that he experienced during his time in Vietnam. Overall, I believe that Philip Caputo was able to prove that he is not guilty and that he is a victim to the U.S. government and the U.S. military as well as the environment of Vietnam, and the relentlessness of combat training. Coming straight out of his own mouth, Caputo was able to prove compelling evidence that these forces developed
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This led to a series of attacks on Vietnamese villages. After one attack on a Vietcong-controlled village, Caputo’s men are able to gain control of the village the soldiers do so by breaking their ranks. The platoon has become an incendiary mob (Caputo 304). Caputo’s superior officer hears of Caputo’s actions in which he comes extremely horrified and follows through with a warning to Caputo stated that he will be relieved of command if anything like it happens again (Caputo 305). After the warning from his commanding officer, Caputo awakens one night with a powerful urge to retaliate and he does so by remembering a report on two villagers who were assumed to be Vietcong and that were able to escape the platoons previous assault (Caputo 309, 315). He gathers five of his riflemen around him and tells them he wants them to find the two Vietcong. Although his men object to his command since they are not supposed to be in the village. Caputo orders them to lie (Caputo, 317). Following through with the mission, the commanded soldiers grabbed two men who, in return, do not obey the orders of the soldiers and are eventually killed. Shortly after, it is discovered that neither of them is Vietcong (Caputo, 319). This caused an uproar with the villagers and led to Caputo and his five men being tried in court for intentional
This led to a series of attacks on Vietnamese villages. After one attack on a Vietcong-controlled village, Caputo’s men are able to gain control of the village the soldiers do so by breaking their ranks. The platoon has become an incendiary mob (Caputo 304). Caputo’s superior officer hears of Caputo’s actions in which he comes extremely horrified and follows through with a warning to Caputo stated that he will be relieved of command if anything like it happens again (Caputo 305). After the warning from his commanding officer, Caputo awakens one night with a powerful urge to retaliate and he does so by remembering a report on two villagers who were assumed to be Vietcong and that were able to escape the platoons previous assault (Caputo 309, 315). He gathers five of his riflemen around him and tells them he wants them to find the two Vietcong. Although his men object to his command since they are not supposed to be in the village. Caputo orders them to lie (Caputo, 317). Following through with the mission, the commanded soldiers grabbed two men who, in return, do not obey the orders of the soldiers and are eventually killed. Shortly after, it is discovered that neither of them is Vietcong (Caputo, 319). This caused an uproar with the villagers and led to Caputo and his five men being tried in court for intentional