Part 2, Chapter 6 Summary

The jungle battle continues sporadically for a few days, and the Americans gain ground. When a consignment of fresh meat arrives, and General Cummings orders it to be divided into two equal parts, one half to be shared between the 180 men and one half between the 38 officers, Hearn is sickened by the injustice, and questions Cummings motives. Cummings orders him to supervise putting up a recreation tent for the officers, and Hearn realizes that he has been given the task because Cummings knows he will hate doing it, and that the men he selects for the task will hate him for making them do it. When the orderly charged with keeping the tent in order fails to do all the small tasks involved, Hearn has to reprimand him, attracting the orderly's resentment. He is shocked to realize that despite his distaste...