Bowdlerize (verb): to remove offensive passages of a publication

The young journalist couldn’t believe his eyes. Gripping the metal of the bulletproof jeep and clenching his nose against the sharp stench of death permeating the air, he wanted to scream. What do you mean, few losses? I thought you said we captured this fort! Why are the signs here already in our language, and why does it look like we’re on the verge of losing it?

His mentor had left him with the position, along with quite a few reports of their country’s successes in the war. He’d been astounded at the older man’s resignation letter—the army general was a frightening man, but he paid well for reports, especially if they brought good news.

It’s a lie, he thought, fearfully blinking away the tears forming with the flying dust. A lie that protected his mentor against the general’s wrath, but created a meaningless illusion for the general to develop equally meaningless strategies. A lie that caused all those soldiers to fall lifelessly onto the ground, thinking they were fighting a winning war.

Quivering in the jolts and bumps of the jeep, he picked up his laptop with trembling fingers and began writing about reality.