Summary

The Allies broke through the German West Wall in December of 1944. Alfons' commander visited Alfons and told him that Alfons would be sent home very soon because it looked like the end of the war was coming. Alfons was instructed to lead the Volkssturm (People's Militia) back home in Wittlich. It was a pathetic force of remaining men between the ages of 15 and 60, and women between the ages of 16 and 50. None of the force had any military training and no real weapons with which to fight. The people knew that this was Gotterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods) and the end of the Third Reich. Before Alfons left for Wittlich, a lieutenant told him that dying for the Fatherland was not as noble as living for it and that Alfons should choose life.

Germany's last big attack in the war came on December 15, 1944, in...