This 'B Picture' does seem to be an unnecessary re-make of Petrified Forest (1936), but appearing in the lead roles was an opportunity to recognize the contributions of two European Expatriates. Philip Dorn from the Netherlands had previously featured in characters roles for WWII flicks Escape (1940), Underground (1941), Reunion In France (1942), Paris After Dark (1943) & Passage to Marseille (1944), while Helmut Dantine of Vienna had previously featured in character roles for WWII flicks Edge of Darkness & Northern Pursuit (Both 1943), Passage to Marseille (1944) and Hotel Berlin (1945). Co-Star Samuel S. Hines had appeared in nearly 200 motion pictures by this point in his career, but very few films held him in a role where he was such an integral part of the plot as he is as 'Gramp'.
Armchair cynics shouldn't criticize the timing of this film's release in relation to the state of National Socialism Affairs in Europe. It's clear, the scriptwriters correctly anticipated the pending dispatch of the Nazis on May 07, 1945, but the purpose of the film was to reflect on the fact that the outcome of the on-going conflict in the Pacific had yet to be played out. At the time this film was being made prior to its release on May 01, 1945, the atomic bombs hadn't yet been used, so the time-line on when the WWII would end in the Pacific could not be determined. To paraphrase this film's patriotic message - 'Our fight is not yet over, we must be vigilant and press on against the enemy!' And to this end, Japan was forced to surrender on August 15, 1945.