Women, the Overlooked Heroes

There are so many things in this world I know nothing about that scare me. I am not saying I should know everything, but when I have heard about the Vietnam War over and over again, shouldn’t I know by now what it was about? Thank God for stories and novels that push you to finally figure it out. And last week, it was finally time.

Kristin Hannah has taken on the wild tale of the Vietnam War, focusing specifically on the women of the war. It’s the story of a brave yet naive young girl who loses her beloved brother to the war far too soon. She decides to serve her country to feel closer to him, to honour his memory, and to gain her father’s respect. Her father has been obsessed with patriotism and heroism, especially within his own family, all his life. She longs to have her picture on the “Heroes” wall in their home. So, against her family’s wishes—who cannot bear the thought of losing another child to the war—and despite her father’s mockery that “women don’t belong at war,” she signs up and heads to Vietnam as a nurse.

The rest of the story is a heartbreaking tale of humanity at its worst and best. The ugly reality of war forces everyone, at some point, to stop and ask: Why is this still going on? Why did it even start? Why can’t we stop it? According to the book, and as history remembers, the Vietnam War went on far too long, and as always, ordinary people paid the price.

What I love about this book, beyond the beautiful prose, vivid imagery, and unforgettable characters, is how firmly it holds on to humanity in the midst of chaos. Love, hatred, camaraderie, compassion, cruelty—all of it follows you no matter where you are. And how you handle even the most mundane interactions with others is what makes you a hero. Not fighting in a war. Not being a prisoner of war. Not becoming a decorated veteran because of the “sacrifices” you made. You can be all of those things, but it won’t matter if you lie and break a sacred promise. Going to war to defend your country does not, by itself, make you a hero.

And of course, the main plot of the story is the enraging ignorance women have had to endure all their lives and still do. Frankie comes back from two tours in Vietnam broken, devastated, a shell of herself. It takes decades for her loved ones, her family, and her country to recognize that she and other women who risked their lives to save men in combat were worthy of the same praise.

This book weaves together so many love stories. Despite all the pain and sorrow the protagonist endures, she is lucky enough to have people who pull her out of the darkness time and time again. It’s a testament to the resilience we forget we have, the thick skin women need to develop to survive in this world. There is nothing glorifying about war—there never should be. What it does to those who go there with the best intentions is no joke.

This story is a powerful reminder to separate how we feel about war from how we treat the people who fought in it. The anger we feel for politicians, their egos, and their cruelty should not extend to someone who was there to defend what they believed were patriotic values. We might not share their values, but that doesn’t make them less human.

Can I wholeheartedly agree with this? Idealistically, no. Realistically, maybe.