Chapter 8 Summary and Analysis

Chapter 8 opens with Alfons being notified that Dr. Robert Ley, the head of the German Labor Front (the union of German workers that replaced the others), is going to do an inspection. Alfons cleans up his boys, who are excited. When Ley arrives, he compliments Alfons for his leadership and promotes the boy that shot down the Flying Fortress, giving him an Iron Cross II. Ley also tells Alfons that his men will be pulling back to the southern sector by the end of the next week because some American tanks broke through the Westwall the previous night. They will also have to pull back to defend Wittlich, Alfons's hometown. He will not be able to join the Luftwaffe.

Alfons eventually receives orders to retreat. Leiwitz encourages him not to die for Nazi Germany if he can avoid it. It turns...