During the time period of the Vietnam War, which is when the text, “The Things They Carried” takes place, there were very gruesome events that had taken place during the war that could have caused may of the United States Veterans of this war to contract some form of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. The events that took place that made the Vietnam War such a terrible war for veterans is better understood after reading the text, “The Things They Carried”. The text is broken up into what appears to mission chunks or other important outings during this war and author Tim O’Brien explains in great detail what each member of the platoon carried and how much each item weighed during each mission. Simply knowing what each of the soldiers had chosen to carry during each mission explains what a hostile environment Vietnam was for these veterans and their mindset as they prepared to tackle whatever obstacle was presented in front of them. However, it was these countless deadly missions that inflicted the members of the United States army with PTSD.

The Vietnam War is seen by Americans to be one of the most deadly and biggest failures of a war in American History. The war as of 2007, left over 200,000 Veterans of the Vietnam with PTSD (Vermetten 184). Such a war had scared such a large amount of people both those who served and did not that it marked one of the most hectic times in the United States History. The author of the text, “The Things They Carried” Tim Obrien, was also a Vietnam War Veteran, and since such a vast amount of veterans experienced some form of PTSD after the war, his past experiences most likely influenced the style and form of writing of the text. Tim Obrien was in fact a Sargent during the Vietnam war, so he can relate most to first Lieutenant Jimmy Cross who was the leader of the platoon of men that was focus on during the text. Although Cross was the commanding officer on scene during most of the text, he also appeared to be the least mentally sound member of their squadron and continued to show his shakiness throughout the duration of the text. In many scenes, the text appears to focus on Cross-and his obsession with the girl of his dreams, Martha who he continues to exchange letters and other objects with during the platoon’s many different missions. Although Martha could be considered as a motive for Lieutenant Cross to finish his time that he owes in the war and return to her but it can also be used as a stressor that shows early signs of PTSD inside of him. For example, during the scene when Ted Lavender was killed, the text dialogue switches to the third person thoughts of Lieutenant Cross to see him thinking about being on a beach with his lover Martha, rather than his men assess the current situation (Obrien 334). Events as detailed as this one in the text could possibly relate to an experience author and sergeant Tim Obrien could have experienced during his time in the army during the Vietnam War. Such an intense event in the text could have been influenced from a specific event that O’Brien can relate to or that could have caused him some form of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder that was so common during this time. The unimaginable terrors that took place during this war left a very large amount of Vietnam War Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and were seen as a common attribute during this time.

During the Vietnam War, there was such a large amount of people in the United States who were against the war and everything it had stood for. Simply believing that there was good outcome to sending troops to Vietnam because of everything the people during this time had to ration and send to soldier’s currently serving in the war. A major example of the public views against the war actually is in the text “The Things They Carried”, when Martha only states for Lieutenant John Cross to be careful in Vietnam and take care of himself in one of first letters to him. (O’Brien 328). By expressing such little thought or emotion of the war which was a such a large event during this time period leads to the inference that Martha, like most of the public during this time, did not think very highly of the Vietnam War. 

The Soldiers in the army during this war based off of the text appear to have to be prepared to what ever they were going to face that specific mission, what they actually carried was specific to each mission which can reflect the unimaginative terror that each mission presented. In the text “The Things They Carried”, Tom O’Brien first mentions what the members of the platoon were carrying early in the text and refers to them as “necessities”(Obrien 328). This can be interpreted as only a select amount of items that could be taken on each trip based on survival and weight. This could have taken a major toll on each member of the platoon, as they had to narrow down the amount of objects they take with them based off of what they actually need for survival. Such events could be reason for such a very large amount of United States Veterans of the Vietnam War experience some form of PTSD.

The text again relates to specific events during the time period of the Vietnam War by relating to events during the war that could have led to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. After such a remarkably terrible war, many veterans experience PTSD that could have been caused by events such as the death of Ted Lavender who was brutally shot in the had in front of each member of the squadron (Obrien 334). It is events such as this in the text that create an inference of the many other deadly moments and missions that took place during this time. 

The Vietnam War represents a major loss in United States history and it could have been due to the poor conditions and difficult tasks that the soldiers of the United States Army faced each day in battle. The war was hated by the public of America and the Soldiers participating, which ultimately ended with our removal of the troops from Vietnam (Smith 158). After reading the text, “The Things They Carried” by Tim O’Brien, a better understanding can be made of what the members of the United States army had to face during the Vietnam War and can provide evidence towards the remarkable amount of United States Veterans who have been diagnosed with some form of PTSD. The two sources used to relate to the time period of the text now provide a better understanding of when the text was written and the text allows for a better comprehension of the events that took place during the Vietnam War.
