question nine.

O'Brien feel responsible for Kiowa's death because he is the general in charge of that platoon, and he made the decision to camp on the riverbank as opposed to sleeping somewhere safer. He blames himself because he feels as though he should have gone with his first instinct; to move his men away from the field where they slept. Although the order to sleep in that spot came from a higher power, he felt as though it was his fault because his impulse was to move his men to safer grounds for the night. He listened to his commanding officers, and in turn lost the life of Kiowa. The guilt he feels is unmistakable, for with one simple disobedience he could have saved the life of a soldier, and a friend.