--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is the guilt all soldiers feel for…" description: "\"There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the taboo against killing, a guilt as old as war itself. Add to this the soldier's sense of sham..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png" --- # There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the… ![“There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the taboo against killing, a guilt as old as war itself. Add to this the soldier's sense of shame for having fought in actions that resulted, indirectly or directly, in the deaths of civilians. Then pile on top of that an attitude of social…” quote by Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png) > “There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the taboo against killing, a guilt as old as war itself. Add to this the soldier's sense of shame for having fought in actions that resulted, indirectly or directly, in the deaths of civilians. Then pile on top of that an attitude of social opprobrium, an attitude that made the fighting man feel personally morally responsible for the war, and you get your proverbial walking time bomb.” [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Soldiers carry layered guilt from killing and civilian casualties, feeling personal moral responsibility and societal shame, creating a volatile inner conflict. **In simple terms:** Soldiers feel deep guilt and shame for war actions, leading to inner turmoil. Key Takeaway Recognize and address moral injury in veterans. Themes guilt war moral injury shame psychology Mood somber reflective Type ethical psychological When to use this quote - military counseling - rehabilitation programs - public awareness campaigns - support groups Key Concepts psychological trauma ethical responsibility social stigma Questions to Reflect On - How can societies better support veterans with moral injury? - What role does public perception play in a soldier's self‑blame? A Different Perspective Addressing guilt alone may not resolve systemic causes of war trauma. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Bombs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bombs/) [Civilians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civilians/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Killing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/killing/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Taboo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taboo/) [Time bomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-bomb/) [Vietnam war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vietnam-war/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Although I was too young to understand the theory of universal (that's to say male) guilt, I was old enough to know which sex…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-jacobson/although-i-was-too-young-to-understand-the-theory-of-universal-that-s/) [Howard Jacobson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-jacobson/) > [Why is the country not having this conversation, the kind of conversation that requires the politicians who are responsible for the war to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/why-is-the-country-not-having-this-conversation-the-kind-of/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [The soldiers feel that the Police are not serious with the criminal elements and that they are corrupt. The army had to come in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoweri-museveni/the-soldiers-feel-that-the-police-are-not-serious-with-the-criminal/) [Yoweri Museveni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoweri-museveni/) > [Whenever I look at pictures of horrific things that soldiers do or that have been done to soldiers I always feel sorry for everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gideon-raff/whenever-i-look-at-pictures-of-horrific-things-that-soldiers-do-or/) [Gideon Raff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gideon-raff/) > [Clinton Cash book had been hyped by Rand Paul and Fox News as a ticking time bomb.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/clinton-cash-book-had-been-hyped-by-rand-paul-and-fox-news-as-a/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [It was like a time bomb set into motion. We knew that we were destined to explode. (destined to explode) And if I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/all-time-low/it-was-like-a-time-bomb-set-into-motion-we-knew-that-we-were-destined/) [All Time Low](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/all-time-low/) > [It's nice to get president candidates' attention to infrastructure need which is really a ticking time bomb in America. But as important as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-cornett/it-s-nice-to-get-president-candidates-attention-to-infrastructure/) [Mick Cornett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-cornett/) > [The use of fetuses as organ and tissue donors is a ticking time bomb of bioethics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-caplan/the-use-of-fetuses-as-organ-and-tissue-donors-is-a-ticking-time-bomb/) [Arthur Caplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-caplan/) > [“Gregori’s silver eyes moved over both women, then settled on Shea. “The child must be protected. It is no use appealing to Raven for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-feehan/gregori-s-silver-eyes-moved-over-both-women-then-settled-on-shea-the/) [Christine Feehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-feehan/) > [“Harb was a ticking time bomb. It was like watching a preacher with Tourette syndrome. You knew the "Shit! Balls!" was coming at some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-corwin/harb-was-a-ticking-time-bomb-it-was-like-watching-a-preacher-with/) [John Corwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-corwin/) > [We're not a team. We're a time-bomb! -Bruce Banner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-avengers/we-re-not-a-team-we-re-a-time-bomb-bruce-banner/) [The Avengers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-avengers/) > [For true peace of mind we must acknowledge whatever fault we live upon, whatever time bomb ticks in our closet, and enjoy our Shangri-la…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chungliang-al-huang/for-true-peace-of-mind-we-must-acknowledge-whatever-fault-we-live/) [Chungliang Al Huang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chungliang-al-huang/) > [“Once you confessed to someone that you had been very depressed when dining with her several months earlier. She was stunned, discovering her blindness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douard-lev/once-you-confessed-to-someone-that-you-had-been-very-depressed-when/) [Édouard Levé](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douard-lev/) > [Kimi is a great driver like Fernando, but together, they could be a time bomb for Ferrari.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-eric-vergne/kimi-is-a-great-driver-like-fernando-but-together-they-could-be-a/) [Jean-Eric Vergne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-eric-vergne/) > [Diabetes is an all-too-personal time bomb which can go off today, tomorrow, next year, or 10 years from now - a time bomb affecting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-tyler-moore/diabetes-is-an-all-too-personal-time-bomb-which-can-go-off-today/) [Mary Tyler Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-tyler-moore/) ## More by Philip Caputo > [Being a correspondent at the Vietnam war for me was about exposing myself to danger but it wasn't completely self-serving. I felt that there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/being-a-correspondent-at-the-vietnam-war-for-me-was-about-exposing/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [I'm a Midwesterner by birth, and when I traveled there, when I was young, most of the small towns were thriving, vibrant places.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/i-m-a-midwesterner-by-birth-and-when-i-traveled-there-when-i-was/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [You're going to learn that one of the most brutal things in the world is your average nineteen-year-old American boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/you-re-going-to-learn-that-one-of-the-most-brutal-things-in-the-world/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [ “I really believe that when we start talking ourselves back, we'll have more to offer the world." he \[Woodenkinfe\] said. "I don't want a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/i-really-believe-that-when-we-start-talking-ourselves-back-we-ll-have/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [“The essence of the Marine Corps experience, I decided, was pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/the-essence-of-the-marine-corps-experience-i-decided-was-pain/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [“Directly overhead the Milky Way was as distinct as a highway across the sky. The constellations shown brilliantly, except the north, where they were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/directly-overhead-the-milky-way-was-as-distinct-as-a-highway-across/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [War, the ordinary man's most convenient means of escaping from the ordinary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/war-the-ordinary-man-s-most-convenient-means-of-escaping-from-the/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [Belief is a virus, and once it gets into you, its first order of business is to preserve itself, and the way it preserves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/belief-is-a-virus-and-once-it-gets-into-you-its-first-order-of/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [“Before you leave here, Sir, you’re going to learn that one of the most brutal things in the world is your average nineteen-year-old American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/before-you-leave-here-sir-you-re-going-to-learn-that-one-of-the-most/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [In a guerrilla war, the line between legitimate and illegitimate killing is blurred. The policies of free-fire zones, in which a soldier is permitted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/in-a-guerrilla-war-the-line-between-legitimate-and-illegitimate/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [It’s paradoxical that the death of your quarry is besides the point and at the same time the whole point. A chase without a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/it-s-paradoxical-that-the-death-of-your-quarry-is-besides-the-point/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [I guess every generation is doomed to fight its war...suffer the loss of the same old illusions, and learn the same old lessons on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/i-guess-every-generation-is-doomed-to-fight-its-war-suffer-the-loss/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [“Ten days passed, ten days of total idleness. The novelty of our surroundings wore off and the battalion began to suffer from a spiritual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/ten-days-passed-ten-days-of-total-idleness-the-novelty-of-our/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [“Fitzhugh wasn’t immune to the desire that’s in most people to spray graffiti on the cold rock of the world and say “I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/fitzhugh-wasn-t-immune-to-the-desire-that-s-in-most-people-to-spray/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) > [In wartime, the degree of patriotism is directly proportional to distance from the front.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/in-wartime-the-degree-of-patriotism-is-directly-proportional-to/) [Philip Caputo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) [Explore all 20 Philip Caputo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! Smile :) Now hold onto…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leticia-rae/action-is-a-powerful-thing-when-you-smile-through-your-sadness-it-can/) [Leticia Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leticia-rae/) > [I reject criticism because the last thing I wanted was to sit there and look at people talking. I think people are conditioned to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-tyrnauer/i-reject-criticism-because-the-last-thing-i-wanted-was-to-sit-there/) [Matt Tyrnauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-tyrnauer/) > [“I take my actions because of my passion not because of compulsion.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/i-take-my-actions-because-of-my-passion-not-because-of-compulsion/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [When the first Superman movie came out I was frequently asked "What is a hero?" ...My answer was that a hero is someone who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-reeve/when-the-first-superman-movie-came-out-i-was-frequently-asked-what-is/) [Christopher Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-reeve/) [Browse all 14,940 Action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the taboo against killing, a guilt as old as war itself. Add to this the soldier's sense of shame for having fought in actions that resulted, indirectly or directly, in the deaths of civilians. Then pile on top of that an attitude of social opprobrium, an attitude that made the fighting man feel personally morally responsible for the war, and you get your proverbial walking time bomb.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philip Caputo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for-having-broken-the-taboo/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Action" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for-having-broken-the-taboo/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/philip-caputo-27862_action_there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for_1284763.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There is the guilt all soldiers feel for having broken the taboo against killing, a guilt as old as war…” — Philip Caputo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Philip Caputo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-caputo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There is the guilt all soldiers...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for-having-broken-the-taboo/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-caputo/there-is-the-guilt-all-soldiers-feel-for-having-broken-the-taboo/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```