In the Lake of the Woods

In this chapter, the quotations focus on the historical record that exposes the rationale and justifications for other massacres. For example, O’Brien uses historical quotations from other time periods in American history, including passages justifying the massacre of Native American tribes, such as the Sioux and Apache, or exposing British reprisals against civilians when they became frustrated with the Continental army guerilla tactics during the American Revolution. These historical examples contain scenes similar to the ones in Thuan Yen: civilian women, children, and old men are all summarily slaughtered. The narrator also uses more quotations from the Thuan Yen/My Lai court martial cases.

Later, O’Brien presents examples of American politicians’ reactions to severe defeat. As a group, they are not gracious losers; typically, the politician experiences severe depression, rage, and a loss of their sense of self. 

In John’s second tour of duty, nothing seems to come of the rumors about what happened at Thuan Yen. During his last two months in Vietnam, he works in the battalion adjutant’s office, where he painstakingly erases himself from Charlie Company, or Company C, and remakes all of his orders and records to look as if he has always been a member of Company A.