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A rumor of war by philip caputo vietnam war

             Caputo had one of the most unique perspectives on the war possible. He was a young Marine lieutenant when the Marines first came ashore in force in Vietnam in March of 1965. Ten years later he was one of the reporters that reported on the final fall of Saigon to Communist North Vietnamese forces. Caputo is one of the first Marines ashore in Vietnam and is part of the initial process of escalation that led to our massive commitment to that country. He first guards an airbase, and then makes limited patrols into the surrounding countryside to route out snipers. Eventually he is part of the first massive search and destroys operations of the war. Caputo's book chronicles the sixteen months of the war, or at least what he saw of it. From leading a platoon guarding the airport in Danag, to endless patrols in search of a phantom enemy. Eventually he is transferred to a staff position and as one of his duties posts every day the number of American's lost and VC killed on the regimental HQ's blackboard. To say this has a negative affect on his morale is to put it mildly. Caputo is then transferred back to an infantry company to serve once again as a platoon leader. He serves in this capacity until stress and lack of judgment lead him to order his men on an anti-insurgent mission that results in the death of an innocent pro-American informer. While Caputo is cleared of all charges he is sent home soon after.
             The average marine considers to search and destroy as their primary objective. The marines in Vietnam and any war in general are trained and taught that killing is there primary objective. You could say that the marines are almost brainwashed. I imagined .
             2.
             War to be incredibly disturbing but I never imagined it to be as inhumane as Caputo described in his autobiography. I did not think the actual murder was as significant as the way the soldiers were reacting to it. By the end of their service time, I guess all soldiers get used to the killing and blood shed, but I found it hard to read when they were making fun and joking about people they had killed.


Essays Related to A rumor of war by philip caputo vietnam war

1. A Rumor of War

Philip Caputo, author of "A Rumor of War," was born in 1941. ... Caputo is best known for "A Rumor of War," but has written 14 other books. ... Marine Corps, Lieutenant Philip Caputo was a part of the ninth Expeditionary Brigade, which was the first group of troops sent into the Vietnam War. ... Philip Caputo uses himself as a source for his book "A Rumor of War." ... " Caputo stated that his purpose of the book was just to inform American readers and all readers about the Vietnam War, including the whole ugly truth of the Vietnam War and wars in general. ...

  • Word Count: 806
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

2. A Rumor Of War

A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo was an interesting story about one man's reflection upon and story of the Vietnam War. ... I chose it because I knew little of the Vietnam War, and thought it would be educational yet interesting for me to read. ... Philip Caputo starts his story from his indecision of what to do with his life after high school. ... Philip Caputo did a wonderful job writing this book. ... It gave me a better understanding not only of the Vietnam War, but also of the events that take place during a war, and the feelings and actions the soldiers" experience....

  • Word Count: 736
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. Caputo

The Vietnam War was responsible for widespread protests and demonstrations throughout the late 1960s. ... A 1980 movie, A Rumor of War, based on Philip J. ... Philip J. ... There was no fighting, no enemy, and for Caputo, no war. It was as if the insurrection in Vietnam was a fantasy war set in a steamy and tropical land far from his usual environment. ...

  • Word Count: 961
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

4. A Rumor Of War

Philip Caputo's, the author of A Rumor of War, use of vivid language made the book come alive, as if it were a movie. ... A Rumor of War was an amazing book that went into detail about Vietnam. It was based around Philip Caputo and began when he decided to join the Marines. ... A Rumor of War was written not long after Caputo's experience in this tragic war. ... A Rumor of War is one ...

  • Word Count: 2306
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Fredrick Douglas

Philip Caputo spent his life acquiring the skills of killing, learning how to fieldstrip and assemble and M-14 rifle blindfolded, how to face death, and how to cause it. ... The Moral ambiguities that this trial raises against the Vietnam War was that it widened peoples perception and made them curious about what was actually going on in the Vietnam war. ... He joined the Vietnam Veterans against the war. ... After Caputo wrote A Rumor of War he used writing the book to help him cope with the war. ... When I read A Rumor of War, Philip Caputo put me right on the front lines of battle. ...

  • Word Count: 1407
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

6. Rumor Of War

Philip Caputo was a young man caught up in one of the most troubled times in our nation's history. ... In his autobiography, Rumor of War we begin to learn the horror and tragedies of the war and what impact the war had on his life. ... By this time Caputo was beginning to gave nightmares of the people he had watched die in Vietnam. ... Caputo's story of Vietnam tells us a lot about the confusion and turmoil our soldiers experienced in the war. ... The American experience in Vietnam was not a good one at all. ...

  • Word Count: 880
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Rumor of War

On March 8, 1965, Philip Caputo was sent to Danang with a battalion of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and was the first U.S. combat unit sent to Indochina. ... At the beginning of the Vietnam War, the atmosphere was like Kipling's colonial wars. ... Lieutenant Bradley called Vietnam the "splendid little war." ... The men in the military along with Caputo were drawn to war (71). ... On one expedition their was a paradox of kindness and cruelty at the same time, that made Vietnam a strange war. ...

  • Word Count: 2231
  • Approx Pages: 9
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

8. rumor of war

On March 8, 1965, Philip Caputo was sent to Danang with a battalion of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and was the first U.S. combat unit sent to Indochina. ... At the beginning of the Vietnam War, the atmosphere was like Kipling's colonial wars. ... Lieutenant Bradley called Vietnam the "splendid little war." ... The men in the military along with Caputo were drawn to war (71). ... On one expedition was their paradox of kindness and cruelty at the same time that made Vietnam a strange war. ...

  • Word Count: 2036
  • Approx Pages: 8
  • Grade Level: High School

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