Major Joppolo represents the better characteristics of Americans. He is genuinely concerned for the people of Adano and wants to establish a democratic way of life in this seaport town which he rules as a military governor.

He is not skilled in protecting himself from his superiors, and is too singleminded in the pursuit of his aims.

Thanks to his lack of any sense of self preservation, his tenure in office is too brief to really accomplish any effective change in the way of life in Adano.

General Marvin is a thinly disguised version of General George S. Patton, whose flamboyant exploits were becoming well publicized before the end of 1944. Patton is reported to have had a peasant's cart removed from the road and the man's mule shot; Marvin is guilty of the same act. Marvin struts and roars and does little else in this characterization. He orders...