History Recap / MastersOfTheAirS1E08PartEight

* HeroOfAnotherStory: We finally find out just who Westgate is -- she's working with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive SOE]], gathering intelligence and serving as a liaison with the [[La Résistance French Resistance]] in preparation for the upcoming invasion.

* FightingTheLancer: Buck and Bucky get into a very public argument that degenerates into a fight, with Bucky implied to be breaking under the strain of having to endure prison life. Subverted, as they're both later revealed to be working together on escape and survival contingencies, meaning the fight was likely staged for the benefit of their captors to alleviate any suspicions that [[ItsQuietTooQuiet the POWs are getting along a little too well]].

* HeroOfAnotherStory: We finally find out what Westgate's role is -- she's working with the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Operations_Executive SOE]], gathering intelligence and serving as a liaison with the Resistance in preparation for the upcoming invasion.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Tuskegee Airman Macon is interrogated by a German officer, who questions why he is fighting for a country that treats black people poorly. This is coming from someone who serves [[UsefulNotes/NaziGermany a nation]] where racism and [[UsefulNotes/TheHolocaust especially anti-semitism]] are central to its ideology, and had been persecuting and committing atrocities across Europe against those they consider "lesser" races, ''including'' [[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/afro-germans-during-the-holocaust black people]]. Naturally, Macon is unimpressed and doesn't buy the officer's rhetoric.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Macon is interrogated by a German officer, who questions why he is fighting for a country that treats black people poorly. This is coming from someone who serves a nation where racism and especially anti-semitism are central to its ideology, and had been committing atrocities across Europe against those they consider "lesser" races, '''including''' [[https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/afro-germans-during-the-holocaust black people]]. Naturally, Macon is unimpressed and doesn't buy the officer's rhetoric.

* SkewedPriorities: Some of more bigoted white American POWs are more concerned about having to be imprisoned with black pilots than the fact they're all imprisoned by the enemy.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Macon is interrogated by a German officer, who questions why he is fighting for a country that treats black people poorly. This is coming from someone who serves a nation where racism and especially anti-semitism are central to its ideology, and had been committing atrocities across Europe against those they consider “lesser” races, '''including''' black people. Naturally, Macon is unimpressed and doesn’t buy the officer’s rhetoric.

* FightingTheLancer: Buck and Bucky get into a very public argument that degenerates into a fight, with Bucky implied to be breaking under the strain of having to endure prison life. Subverted, as they're both later revealed to be working together on escape and survival contingencies, meaning the fight was likely staged for the benefit of their captors.

** While some of the prisoners take offense to the black pilots being imprisoned with them, others are vocally welcoming, having witnesses the Red Tails fighting to protect their bombers.

* {{Hypocrite}}: Macon is interrogated by a German officer, who questions why he is fighting for a country that treats black people poorly. This is coming from someone who serves a nation where racism and especially anti-semitism are central to its ideology, and had been committing atrocities across Europe against those they consider “lesser” races. Macon himself doesn’t buy the officer’s rhetoric.

* SleepDeprivation: Crosby works for 72 hours straight planning the 100th's part of the Normandy invasion, first drinking coffee, then popping pills to stay awake, and finally just hitting the wall and passing out for three days.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: The Normandy Landings, and the 100th striking multiple targets across western France to prevent a German counter-attack, all without any opposition from the Luftwaffe, which had been swept off the battlefield by Allied airpower. Later, the POWs learn that the Soviets have invaded Germany, bringing the front lines closer to them.

D-Day is imminent. Crosby works himself past the breaking point planning the 100th's missions in support of the Allied landings in Normandy. Meanwhile, the African-American fliers of the 332d Fighter Group attack radar sites to clear the way for further landings in southern France. In Stalag-III, the American leaders in the POW camp begin to plan for different possible outcomes while dealing with two new changes to the camp: African-American POWs being added to the camp population, and the camp being placed under the control of the SS.

* Hypocrite: Macon is interrogated by a German officer, who questions why he is fighting for a country that treats black people poorly. This is coming from someone who serves a nation where racism and especially anti-semitism are central to its ideology, and had been committing atrocities across Europe against those they consider “lesser” races. Macon himself doesn’t buy the officer’s rhetoric.

* OffscreenMomentOfAwesome: The Normandy Landings, and the 100th striking multiple targets across western France to prevent a German counter-attack, all without any opposition from the Luftwaffe, which had been swept off the battlefield by Allied airpower. Later, the POWs learn that the Soviets have invaded Germany, bringing the front lines closer to them.