Yes, think of the stage as a Coke can. It takes orders of magnitude more force to crumple it by pushing on the top of the can than by pushing on the side. The

Yes, think of the stage as a Coke can. It takes orders of magnitude more force to crumple it by pushing on the top of the can than by pushing on the side. The first stage is the same way; it is designed to withstand forces along the longitudinal axis (thrust and drag) but not really from the sides. The sides just have to withstand the pressure of the Coke/fuel.