Anyway, in yet an earlier flashback, we see that Jack has a plan to keep his brother out of Vietnam after Nicky's birthday came up in the draft lottery. But Nicky decides he needs to step up and go, not run off to Canada. Before we return to Vietnam, there are a few more flashbacks to Jack and Nicky's childhood. They aren't super informative, but it must be said that the shot of all the little boy babies whose birthdays we now know are going to come up in the draft lottery was incredibly effective. I can't even imagine having to send one of my children off to war, especially one like Vietnam. That was a chilling shot.