Figure 1.--. |
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Soviet tretment of German POWs was also brutal, but not as genocidal as German poliies. The Sovierts were mostly involved with German and German allied POWs. Toward the end of the War, the Soviets also took large numbers of Japanese POWs in Manchuria. German POWs fared better than domestic prisoners in the Soviet Gulag. It is unclear why. Some belive that Stalin wanted to influence POWs that were to be repatriated. A German reader writes, "I don‘t know whether PoWs were allowed to chose to went back to East or West Germany. I think that there is an international convention (Geneva convention) for PoWs that they may return to their home country when dismissed from the camp. So, it probably depended where their family was living after the war. In the 1950s it was not too difficult and dangerous to travel/move from the former DDR to West Berlin and then further on to Western Germany." One would think after 10 years in Soviet labor camps that the POWs would want to get as far away from the Soviets as possible.The Soviets also took large numbers of prioners from German allies (Italy, Hungary, Romania, and others). I am not sure what happened to these men. Nor do I have much information about what happened to the Japanese taken in Manchuria (1939 and 45). Unlike the Japanese army in Okinawa, the Japanese in Manchuria apparently surrendered in large numbers to the Soviets. I am unsure why there was such a differece. One report suggests that many of the POWs taken in 1945 spent up to 10 years in Soviet camps.
German POWs fared better than domestic prisoners in the Soviet Gulag. It is unclear why. Some belive that Stalin wanted to influence POWs that were to be repatriated. A German reader writes, "I don‘t know whether PoWs were allowed to chose to went back to East or West Germany. I think that there is an international convention (Geneva convention) for PoWs that they may return to their home country when dismissed from the camp. So, it probably depended where their family was living after the war. In the 1950s it was not too difficult and dangerous to travel/move from the former DDR to West Berlin and then further on to Western Germany." One would think after 10 years in Soviet labor camps that the POWs would want to get as far away from the Soviets as possible.
The Soviets also took large numbers of prioners from German allies (Italy, Hungary, Romania, and others). Few of these men survived. The Soviets captured about 70,000 Italians during the Stalingrad pffensive. Most persished during the forced marches and camp conditions. Only 10,087 ever returned to Italy (14 percent). More Italians died at the end of the War when the Soviets "liberated" POW camps with Italians. We do not yet have details on the other German allies.
Nor do we have much information about what happened to the Japanese taken in Manchuria (1939 and 45). Few Japanese soldiers surrendered to the Americans in the Pacific War. The largest numbers of POWs were taken on Okinawa, but even here only a small fraction of the force defending the island. This was a studied decesion of the Japanese High Command to delay the Americans and show them what the cost of invaing the Home Islands would be. The Japanese in Manchuria, however, surrendered in large numbers to the Soviets. I am unsure why there was such a differece. The surprise abnd surprise of the Soviet attack may have been factors and perhaps the geography of Manchuria. The plicy of nleeding the Americans was not implemented against the Societs in Manchuria.
About 570,000 Japanese soldiers surrendered to the Soviets. They were interned in Siberia.
One report suggests that many of the POWs taken in 1945 spent up to 10 years in Soviet camps.
When the Communists emerged victorious in China (1949), the Soviets turned over 1,100 war criminals to China where they were subjected to re-education (1950). The Chinese released them and allowed them to return to Japan (1956).
The Japanese received them with suspision. They were suspected of being Communists plants. They experienced years of discrimination.
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