Although the work is supposedly about Vietnam the final story focuses not on the war but on an episode from O'Brien's childhood How does this story relate to the stories of war.The Things They Carried?

Answer 1

1. The era in which the episode of O'Brien's life would determine what war he was involved with. If his life occurs in 1812, it obviously won't be about the US Civil War; if it occurs in 1917, it won't be about World War Two. 2. What a fighting man carried during those times, would be learned from looking at those particular websites or books. Example: Fighting men in the US Civil War carried paper cartridges in leather pouches. With percussion caps in another container; or powder in another; balls (bullets) in another. Then, most men learned to combine together by making "paper cartridges". Complete paper cartridges could be carried in the aforementioned leather pouches. US fighting men in Vietnam carried M16 rifle bandoleers; each bandoleer contained 7 cloth pouches, which held one 20 round magazine. The majority of GI's only loaded 18 rounds into the magazine so as to keep the magazine spring from becoming overly depressed...and loosing it's "springing action" if held in that position for too long.

Answer 2

The title, The Things They Carried, implies not only a literal meaning, but a figurative one. The soldiers of Vietnam carried their guns, ammo, and anything else they chose to. But the figurative implication shows what toll the guilt, stress, fear, and shame had on them. That perhaps, could have affected them more than the tangible weight.