A fascinating storytelling exercise, although one that I feel might be easier for those with a huge interest or knowledge of history, especially military history. Being a person like that, I could get into this very much, but it would require a lot of work for most of the people I know which might reduce the fun.
As for the jam, it is a little dark, but the idea of purging oneself of the horrors of war and connecting to others (even across conflict lines) still keeps in within bounds, and makes it a very interesting work, for certain.