That's what I was like John, my brother forced me to sit down and play it. Then, I finished it, then again. Then I realized that there was Fallout 2... It grows you on, just give it a fair go!
No need to scour the internet. You got me! A beaming fountain of Fallout knowledge. To save you the time of searching through the Fallout Wiki (a great place to go after the new guys join Fallout 3 with so much unanswered for them) I have all of the FEV information here.
The government/military where trying to create a Super Soldier, in the forms of an injection. After years of research prior to The Great War, and much more research into The Great War with efforts redoubled for obvious reasons. They managed to make a Serum what you had to "dunk" the host into, and pull him out. It cause an insane amount of muscle and bone growth, hardened the skin, made them almost immune to all forms of poisons and radiations. The only downside is, the Host's brain were reduced to slag! well, an IQ of about 35 is slag to me. The Government took the project, and called it The FEV, (Forced Evolutionary Virus) and locked it away for good keeping. The Government tried to kill the project, and began to destabilize the FEV vats at the Military base, but only managed to create an Airborne version, which doesn't affect the host, just makes them a horrible candidate for "dipping". The government stopped attempting to neutralize the FEV and just went on their merry way.
When the bombs fell, the military base was annihilated. The FEV Vats and the underground Catacombs weren't...
As you Venture out in Fallout 1 (one of the best Post Apocalyptic RPG's of all time!) you stumble across The Cathedral, and eventually the Military base (North West coast). Living in the Cathedral are 2 bosses, one very high up who owns the cathedral, and one in the pristine "Demonstration" Vault under the cathedral guarded by our friends. The super mutants. In the base of the Cathedral you find the Master, a Part Human Part Machine, fused within his Overseer Seat. (you haven't seen it in Fallout 3, which is a shame it is a throne of power! Try google imaging it, I had no luck). Who controls all the Super mutants. In the Military base you fight through insane amounts of super mutants and finally get to the lower levels where you find these VATS and of course. BLOW THEM UP! or join the Master eh... either way is good. Either way, the Super Mutant threat my greats South. Far south, through the setting of Fallout 2 and all the way to Fallout 3.. District Columbia.
The Enclave are also studying the FEV, so at the Beginning of Fallout 2 (You where exiled as a monstrosity, and a sadistic killer but loved as a Hero. happened in Fallout 3 if you all remember, not too original on Bethesda's Behalf, But i got a chance to split the overseer in two at the end of fallout 1. Tehe) The Enclave capture the Vault Dwellers of Vault 13. As you find out the prime candidates for above 35 IQ or hell, even successful transformation are people who haven't been exposed to the Airborne version. I.e. Vault Dwellers. Form there you find out the Enclave is doing that, they kidnap your tribes people (decedents of the Original Vault 13 Dweller), and take them to a Poseidon Oil Rig. One of the many Enclave Shelters. You obviously free your people and blow up the Oil Rig. No one likes 'G-men'. How they got in Fallout 3, (if explained in the game I can't remember) is a mix of the experiments at Vault 87, or Immigrants! from the North-west. The Behemoths are brand spanking new in Fallout 3. Well their size is, you encounter one in Fallout 1, but he is only about 3 metres tall. That guy was huge. Do you reckon they got Michael Jordan for dipping?! (well, there are 5 of them in game)
Hope that answers all of your questions, sorry for the write up! If please ask, if you can't be bothered waiting for me to reply:
http://fallout.wikia.com/wiki/Fallout_Wiki Enjoy!
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