Izvještaji s bojišta

Herr was not a classic war reporter. His descriptions of war are often very personal, almost lyrical, and capture the emotional, psychological and moral reality of soldiers and war reporters in the field. The book is distinguished by a style reminiscent of new journalism — a mixture of journalism and literature, with a strong influence of subjective experience. Herr uses detailed, often fragmented descriptions to depict the chaos, horror and absurdity of war.

The book deals with the traumas that war and violence left on soldiers and reporters. Herr writes about the psychological consequences of war, and how difficult it is to lead a "normal" life after returning from war.

Herr also problematizes the way the media reported on the war. In many cases, the war was portrayed as a "distant thing", while the actual consequences and suffering of the soldiers were minimized.

"Dispatches" became a classic of war literature, and significantly influenced the way war reports were written. The book was widely praised for its honesty and writing style, and is considered by many to be one of the most important books on the Vietnam War.

Michael Herr, along with writers like Norman Mailer and Tim O'Brien, redefined the way war stories were told, bringing them closer to the reality of soldiers and war reporters. His experience and perspective were key in creating a new, raw view of war, far from glorification and heroism.