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One would never be capable of living through the horrific war in Vietnam without developing any sort of coping mechanism. Some preferred self-abusing mechanisms which include dope and alcohol, while others developed psychological mechanisms which almost ‘grew on them like a parasite’. Although it is the most gruesome technique, killing others was also a way for soldiers to get through the war. Of all these methods to survive the war, there is no better or worse method, due to the fact that different things worked for different soldiers. Unquestionably, drinking and smoking was the most obvious way to cope with the war. Be it legal or not, it was the most common approach to dealing with guilt, fear, and anxiety caused by the war.

Ted lavender in The Things they Carried, was a young soldier that served in the Alpha Company. He was the first soldier to die under Cross’ command. While he was still alive he was constantly frightened and to cope with his fear, he took tranquilizers and smoked dope. These drugs were crucial for him to even hope to survive this war. As said by O’Brien, “Until he was shot, Ted Lavender carried 6 or 7 ounces of premium dope, which for him was a necessity”. Another frequently used coping mechanism for both during and after the Vietnam War, or any war for that matter, is alcohol. A prime example of someone who tried to use this is Captain Willard from Apocalypse Now. Willard returned from the war miserable, and was greeted by a wife who had filed for divorce, which he agreed to. To help himself through this depression, he drank. These are two example of people who have either smoked dope or drank alcohol, however, that is not to say that one might need both to survive in the war. In the poem, Phi...

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...lo. Although this was extremely cruel, the platoon knew how Kiley felt and let him keep going. Each and every one of them understood how it felt to lose someone. Lastly, some men could not stand the smell of dead bodies. To help mask the smell, they used aftershave and deodorant. “The aftershave and the deodorant are a good touch; products that American males use to avoid smelling bad, used here to protect them from the smell of death (Hynes 189). Although this does not directly relate to killing, it is just another coping mechanism used by men to help them get through the war.

In retrospect, many coping mechanisms were used by the brave soldiers who fought in the war. Some were better than others, however, they were all needed at one point to keep a soldier going. Be it alcohol, dope, or even killing, these men would not have been able to survive without them.