How does this excerpt from leo tolstoy’s the death of ivan ilyich contribute to the plot of the novella?

it was the battle of midway (june 4-7 1942), in which was an american decisive victory against the japanese navy. americans lost one aircraft carrier, one destroyer and 150 planes. japan lost 4 aircraft carriers, 1 heavy cruiser and 248 planes. american casualties were 307 and japanese casualties were 3057. japan never recovered from its loses and after midway the americans started getting the upper hand in the pacific war.

she was trying to use   reliable narrator.