What Life Was Like For POWs In The Far East During The Second World War (2024)

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What Life Was Like For POWs In The Far East During The Second World War? ›

Forced to carry out slave labour on a starvation diet and in a hostile environment, many died of malnutrition or disease. sad*stic punishments were handed out for the most minor breach of camp rules. Most prisoners of war (POWs) existed on a very poor diet of rice and vegetables, which led to severe malnutrition.

Australian soldiers who were captured and kept in Japanese prison camps had a tough time. They had to deal with really harsh living conditions. They were made to work long hours, often doing hard labour. They were beaten and given very little food, usually just small portions of rice.

Even worse conditions are reported in the book "Escape of a Princess Pat" by the Canadian George Pearson. It was particularly bad in Russia, where starvation was common for prisoners and civilians alike; a quarter of the over 2 million POWs held there died.

For British and American prisoners, Stalag IX B was one of the worst camps in Germany. Conditions were appalling from the start and continued to deteriorate as the war progressed. The first transport of American prisoners arrived in late December 1944.

The Germans were hardly the genial hosts, whether you were a POW during World War I or World War II. There was severe punishment for escape attempts, there were meager rations and drafty bunkhouses, and there were irregular deliveries of packages from the Red Cross.

Those Germans in charge of the Prisoner of War camps for first British and Canadian and then American prisoners devised a ration that would keep Allied prisoners alive without breaking Germany's economic back: Each Anglo-American POW would receive 9 pounds of potatoes per week, augmented by 5 pounds of bread, and 2-1/2 ...

Life in prison camp is often characterized by long periods of monotony punctuated by moments of terror. To maintain their morale and sanity, prisoners try to build strong relationships with other inmates and keep their minds and bodies engaged.

And that is actually what happened. American P.O.W.s in Nazi Germany were treated much better than Soviet P.O.W.s or even British and French.

Japan's early successes in the Far East during the Second World War resulted in over 190,000 British and Commonwealth troops being taken prisoner. Japanese military philosophy held that anyone surrendering was beneath contempt. As a result, their treatment of captives was harsh.

Disease was a constant in the camp. In the first six months, the primary causes of death were malaria, dysentery and starvation. As time wore on, diet-dependent diseases became more prevalent.

How did the Japanese treat female POWs? ›

Unprepared for coping with so many captured European prisoners, the Japanese held those who surrendered to them in contempt, especially the women. The men at least could be put to work as common laborers, but women and children were "useless mouths." This attitude would dictate Japanese policy until the end of the war.

Extreme beatings were common, many times resulting in POW deaths. Communist indoctrination was constant, and included endless Radio Hanoi broadcasts and lectures during torture sessions. The content was always the same, and always disregarded by prisoners.

The POWs suffered frequent beatings and mistreatment from their Japanese guards, food was the barest minimum, and disease and injuries went untreated. Although the POWs finally received Red Cross packages in January 1944, the Japanese had removed all the drugs and medical supplies.

The POWs suffered frequent beatings and mistreatment from their Japanese guards, food was the barest minimum, and disease and injuries went untreated. Although the POWs finally received Red Cross packages in January 1944, the Japanese had removed all the drugs and medical supplies.

Rations were meagre. The men - but not officers - had to work, often at heavy labour. As with the prisoners of the First World War, the days dragged and there was a constant battle against boredom. Prisoners tried to overcome this by staging entertainments and educating themselves.

If too injured or ill to keep up, men were left to die. They have been victims of such war crimes as torture and mutilation, beatings, and forced labor under inhumane conditions. Prisoners have been targets of intense interrogation and political indoctrination.

Whether they were held by the enemy for five months or five years, prisoners of war routinely faced torture, starvation, and disease. Often cut off from any communication with their loved ones, POWs relied on each other for support and survival.