Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

On May 23, 1960, Prime Minister David BenGurion told members of Israel's Knesset that Adolf Eichmann, one of those responsible for the Final Solution, had been captured and would soon stand trial. The announcement was brief though the charges were the end of a lengthy search. The author pointed out that Eichmann's capture is often attributed to the work of Nazi hunters Simon Wiesenthal and Tuvia Friedman, two survivors who dedicated their lives to finding Nazi war criminals. But Eichmann's capture was actually a combination of "amateur sleuthing and dumb luck," according to the author.

Eichmann had used the alias Ricardo Klement, gotten a Red Cross passport, and made his way to Buenos Aries. By this time, the Allied Forces are faced with an increasing worry about the Cold War and are fearful of shattering a new alliance with Germany. These factors make...