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Until the Normandy D-Day landings, most Axis POWs were Germand Italian soldiers taken in North Africa, nost in 1943. Italy surrendered (September 1943). The Americans did not take ,any Germasn POWs in Sicily and Italy. The United States set up more than 500 camps for Axis POWs in America during World War II. Most of the POWs transported to Ameica were from North Africa. German POWs transported to camps in America were amazed at their treatment and diet. Strangely German and Italian POWs were often treated more courtesly than Black U.S. servicemen. The Genevea Convention required that POWs be housed and fed just like the capturing country's soldiers. Thus America provided POWs foods like fresh milk, eggs, and meat that were rationed. This was also better than they food they got before being captured. There was even a beer ration. This changed for the German POWs after VE Day. But they were still well fed. As reports of Japanese treatment of prisoners reached Americn soldiers, American combat soldiers were often brutal with the few Japanese soldiers that surrendered. Some observers have suggested that America was as brutal with Japanese POWs as the Japanese were. This is simply not true. There is no doubt that American combat soldiers shot wouunded Japanese soldiers. Here this behavior has to be put in the context of the mangled bodies of American captives the GIs found as they advanced and the fact that not only were Japanese wounded booy trapped, but wounded Japanese soldiers often attempted to kill Americans attempting to aid them. American soldiers understandably had difficulty understanding the Japanese refusal to surrender. Racism were also undeniablt a factor. This is not to say the shooting of wounded soldiers on the battlefield was aceeptable, but this is very different from the official policies of the Germans and Japanese resulting in the deaths of huge numbers of Allied POWs and civilian detainees. It is unclear how many Japanese soldiers were shot trying to surrender. The number here is probably very small. These attrocities occurred on the battlefield. The same occurred to a lesser extent in Europe, There were incidents in Normandy, especially with SS men after accounts of SS attrocities surfaced. They alsp occurred in Belgium after word of the Malmady Massacre spread. What did not occur was the murder of POWs in rear areas once taken as POWs. Once in camps the American treatment of POWs was almost invariably correct. The United States held 126,000 Italian POWs during World War II. After the War, virtually all were repatriated (99.8 percent). The Americans intetned about 0.4 million Germans in America, men mostly taken in Tunisia (1943) and France (1944). Almost all of these men survived and were repatriated. At the end of the War, the Americans (along with the British and French) were overwhelmed by the number of surrendering Germans. The POW system brokedown. There were too few guards and limited camps with shelter and food. Many guards were severe with the surrendering Germans, especially as news of the liberated concentration camps spread. Only a Small number of Japanese were held as POWs by the Americans. About 95 percent survived. The few deaths mostly resulted from an uprising in a camp with leaders commiting suiside when the uprising failed. Many Japanese had difficulties when they returned to Japan because even their families often thought that surrender was not honorable.
Until the Normandy D-Day landings, most Axis POWs were Germand Italian soldiers taken in North Africa. Relatively few German POWs wold have been taken, but Hitler had rushed reinforcements to Tunisia after the Torch lanndigs (November 1942). Thius delayed the Allies for several months, but it also meant that the Allies captured a substantial number of Germans. Most were among the soldiers that surrendered in the Tunis pocket (May 1943). Quite a number of Italians surrendered in Socily, but few Germans (Jukly 1943). The Italuan POWs on Sicily were held on the island ad not transported to POW camps in America. Italy surrendered (September 1943). The Americans did not take many German POWs in Sicily and Italy. The Americans did take POWs in France after the Normandy landings. Many of the POWs takem in 1944 before the Bulge offensive were transpoorted to America.
The United States set up more than 500 camps for Axis POWs in America during World War II. Most of the POWs transported to Ameica were from North Africa. German and Italian POWs transported to camps in America were amazed at their treatment and diet. Strangely German and Italian POWs were often treated more courtesly than Black U.S. servicemen. The Genevea Convention required that POWs be housed and fed just like the capturing country's soldiers. Thus America provided POWs foods like fresh milk, eggs, and meat that were rationed. This was also better than they food they got before being captured. There was even a beer ration. This changed for the German POWs after VE Day. But they were still well fed.
Very fe Japanese soldiers surrendered to the Americans. Defeated island garrisons on severa islnds staged suiside BNanzai charges rather than surrender. The Jpanese soldier was taught that surrender was dishonarable. As reports of Japanese treatment of prisoners reached Americn soldiers, American combat soldiers were often brutal with the few Japanese soldiers that surrendered.
Some observers have suggested that America was as brutal with Japanese POWs as the Japanese were. This is simply not true. There is no doubt that American combat soldiers shot wouunded Japanese soldiers. Here this behavior has to be put in the context of the mangled bodies of American captives the GIs found as they advanced and the fact that not only were Japanese wounded booy trapped, but wounded Japanese soldiers often attempted to kill Americans attempting to aid them. American soldiers understandably had difficulty understanding the Japanese refusal to surrender. Racism were also undeniablt a factor. This is not to say the shooting of wounded soldiers on the battlefield was acceptable, but this is very different from the official policies of the Germans and Japanese resulting in the deaths of huge numbers of Allied POWs and civilian detainees. It is unclear how many Japanese soldiers were shot trying to surrender. The number here is probably very small. These attrocities occurred on the battlefield. The same occurred to a lesser extent in Europe, There were incidents in Normandy, especially with SS men after accounts of SS attrocities surfaced. They alsp occurred in Belgium after word of the Malmady Massacre spread. What did not occur was the murder of POWs in rear areas once taken as POWs. Once in camps the American treatment of POWs was almost invariably correct.
The United States held 126,000 Italian POWs during World War II. After the War, virtually all were repatriated (99.8 percent). The Americans intetned about 0.4 million Germans in America, men mostly taken in Tunisia (1943) and France (1944). Almost all of these men survived and were repatriated. Only a small number of Japanese POWs were held ny the Americans. About 95 percent survived. The few deaths mostly resulted from an uprising in a camp with leaders commiting suiside when the uprising failed. Many Japanese had difficulties when they returned to Japan because even their families often thought that surrender was not honorable.
At the end of the War, the Americans (along with the British and French) were overwhelmed by the number of surrendering Germans. The POW system brokedown. There were too few guards and limited camps with shelter and food. Many guards were severe with the surrendering Germans, especially as news of the liberated concentration camps spread. The problems occured after the Allies crossed the Rhine (March 1945). The problems were quickly addressed by the Allies, but problems persisted for several months.
An American reader writes, "Interesting page. It brought back memories. I was sent to Germany as an 18-year-old G.I. just after the war in 1945, the means of transport was a Liberty Ship. We left from Fort Dix in New Jersey and landed at Bremerhaven. From there we went to Bamberg by train for reassignment. I ended up in the Headquarters battalion of the First Division and served in the Medical Corps for a couple of years. But I had a brief stint as a guard at the Nuremberg War Crimes trial, and was in the city when Göring committed suicide just minutes before his scheduled execution. We were carrying a whole group of German POWs on the ship, who had been interned in places like Arizona and were then being repatriated. Some of them feared being put in the occupation zone controlled by the Russians, perhaps their homes were in eastern Germany. Two jumped overboard to escape this fate. They apparently thought drowning in the Atlantic was preferable. This was ironic because they were intended for the British zone, but of course the Army never tells any soldier anything in advance--at least at the lower levels." We do not know who these individuals were, but they could have been non-Germans serving in the Wehrmacht. The soldiers at Utah Beach encountered Ost Brigades. (Ost Btallions were assihned to static defenses and were oif dubious loyalty. Some were anti-Communist, but most simply volunterred to escape from the virtualy genocidal conditions under which SovietPOWs were held.) I am not sure just how they were treated after the War.
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