Schmidt sets the novel against the backdrop of the Vietnam War, exposing young readers to a significant point in American history with which most are likely unfamiliar. Although the war does not drive the main plot events, it does directly affect several characters, namely, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Bigio and Mai Thi. For Holling, the war transitions from being a background event that he doesn’t often think about, to a significant force that could decide his future. As he grows in maturity, he takes an interest in national events and their impact on the country’s future and his own.

Creating an accurate picture of the United States in 1967 and 1968, Schmidt mentions one of the key battles of the war, Khesanh, and depicts the contrast between the media’s reports of the battle versus the White House’s. He also mentions the unrest dividing the nation, using Holling’s sister Heather as a voice of opposition to the war. She agrees with the thousands of Americans who gather at the Pentagon to protest the war and supports Bobby Kennedy for President, who wants to end the conflict in Vietnam.

Additional references to the war abound, such as the death of Mrs.