Summary Of Philip Caputo's A Rumor Of War

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A Rumor of War In the autobiography A Rumor of War, Philip Caputo shares his experiences of the Vietnam War with the world. His rude awakening of the reality of war captivates readers as he reveals his struggles during the vigorous fight between Vietnam and America. This novel provides insight from the viewpoint of a soldier who witnessed the fighting first hand. Many people are not aware of the physical and emotional damages caused by war, and Caputo brings these emotions to life as he reveals the truth behind the war. The beginning of the novel introduces us to Caputo in his early twenties. After living a comfortable life for so many years, he feels the need for danger and excitement to make himself feel alive. Events throughout the…show more content…
Disease, biting insects, infection, and the desire to kill plagued the men on both sides of the war. Caputo and his men stumbled across a base camp of the Viet Cong. Inside they found letters and photographs of their loved ones and families. This was the first time any of them felt guilt and regret for the lives they had taken. It made many of them realize that the enemies were just like themselves. “What we had found gave to the enemy the humanity I wished to deny him” (124). Although they were all taught to kill the enemy and were prideful in doing so, they were not taught to cope with the guilt and remorse they felt after their actions. Many of them did not know how to make sense of it…show more content…
In the end I believe it turned into a complete anti-military novel as Caputo tried to understand the purpose of the war. The inevitable answer was that America had no reason to be in Vietnam and only put their people at harm as the government ordered them to stay. Before entering the war, the country truly did not understand what war meant. “So I guess every generation is doomed to fight its war, to endure the same old experiences, suffer the loss of the same old illusions, and learn the same old lessons on its own” (81). Caputo reveals his true feelings throughout the story. The novel portrays the kind of truth many men are afraid to
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