in war there are natural leaders and chosen leaders. discuss the difference between kat and himmelstoss. how do the boys react to each other? why is himmelstoss so disliked?

Kat is older than most of the men, thus, he is more mature than his comrades. He is strong, has a great head on his shoulders, is a quick thinker, and quite adept at looking ahead. He is loyal to his men, a great mentor, and most of all a fantastic peacemaker. Kat sees the little things and unstands how important it is to smooth out all the bumps if you don't want to crash into the wall.

Corporal Himmelstoss, however, is a whole other matter. He has a position of authority but does not command authority. He uses his own insecurity to abuse his power and incite the hatred of those around him. The men know he's a fake.... they know he is weak and cowardly, something displayed to everyone when he cowers in the dugout during his first real battle.