What does the story tell us about the Vietnam war?

O'Brien shares many things about the Vietnam War. He speaks to the courage of the men who fought there, as well as the fear that gripped them all. It reminds us of the way in which relationships at home are an integral part of the men's survival, the thing they hold onto. We're also exposed to the burdens, the things the man carry with them not just physically but emotionally as well..... their need to protect each other and keep each other safe. In addition, we see the spiritual aspect of the soldiers' lives, whether that spirituality is based upon religion or superstition, as well as their innate need to escape their predicament..... the movies, the drugs, and the games. Each of these things serve to get the soldiers through their ordeal, sometimes successfully, sometimes not.