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Rumor Of War Sparknotes

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The Vietnam War was a war that conflicted with many Americans due to the wrongful morality and actions taken during the war. The U.S. took action in the war to continue the fight to keep communism from spreading. The war was a shock for America as it took a defeat in the end, North Vietnam conquered South Vietnam, the side we had backed. Although America did not have the most casualties, this was a win, but overall, physical casualties were not only lost in this war but mentally it took a great toll. In the book, A Rumor of War by Philip Caputo, his story begins with a memoir that allows readers to develop a deeper understanding of a soldier in war. He stresses that it may be different for everyone but this is his personal experience. This …show more content…

Caputo and his soldiers demonstrate this growth in the narrations and stories he shared in his story. His memoir further exclaims that there are many other perspectives and stories that have yet to be shared and they may alter completely from his own experiences and perspectives he believed during his time. All stories though, will display some sort of moral or psychological change that no doubt affects any soldier. War changes a person forever, the unreal (but real) stories leave readers' jaws dropped as they can not think of themselves in the situations soldiers like Caputo had to face. Bildungsroman was commonly expressed throughout A Rumor of War displaying the change and growth in soldiers character and morale. Upon the return of Vietnam soldiers, many civilians looked down on the soldiers and developed negative viewpoints. This is due to the morality of actions taken during the war conflicting with the civilians' morality back at home, though, how much are they to blame? Many were chosen for war and weren't up to them either way. Not like they chose to want to see mutilated bodies, kill someone at the ripe age of 18, invade civilian villages and burn everything they see, many were forced. Even though they did not choose this for themselves, it left life-long problems they would have to face forever. Soldiers are no different than everyday citizens, though they are seen as cruel and after the war they suffer mentally. The civilians looking down upon them would have an even bigger effect on them for it was just their job. Their job is being forced to grow up by

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