How does Tim O'Brien respond to the conflict in "On the Rainy River"?

“On the Rainy River” details how O’Brien, newly graduated from college, nearly flees to Canada rather than go off to war in Vietnam after receiving a draft notice. The central conflict of this chapter is within O’Brien’s mind, since he is torn between going to Vietnam or dodging the draft.
O’Brien’s hometown community exerts unnamed pressure on the young man to make his town proud and bravely travel to Vietnam and emerge a hero. However, O’Brien protested the war during his time at university, and he believes the Vietnam War is murky and morally ambiguous.
O’Brien knows that fleeing to Canada will cause everyone at home to ridicule or criticize him, maybe even his own parents. He also knows that going to Vietnam is in direct opposition to his deeply held core belief that the war is not a just one.
Ultimately, O’Brien is faced with the dilemma of making a decision: go on to Canada on the other side of the Rainy River, or go back toward Minnesota—and thereby, the war. After crying and trying to convince himself to have the courage to cross into Canada, O’Brien decides to say nothing to Elroy, causing him to drive the boat back toward the US shore. O’Brien makes his decision using inaction, which perfectly captures his conflicted feelings about both options.
O’Brien fulfills his obligation to go to Vietnam out of deep-seated feelings of shame. Shame for not having more courage to stand up for his beliefs, and shame for running off so suddenly and disappearing.