How did Germany treat POWs in WW2?
Germans Reject Geneva Convention From the very beginning, German policy on the treatment of Soviet prisoners of war (POWs) was determined by Nazi ideology. German political and military leaders regarded Soviet POWs not only as racially less valuable but as potential enemies, obstacles in the German conquest of "living space."
What happens to POWs in prison?
Under the rules of the Geneva Conventions, via Wales Online, POWs are supposed to be safe from physical harm and also from the intimidation caused by threats of violence. And in fact, prisoners of war are also supposed to have their dignity and mental wellbeing protected, as well.
How was the treatment of prisoners of war regulated?
In line with this development the treatment of prisoners of war became increasingly regulated in interactional treaties, particularly in the form of the so called cartel system, which regulated how the exchange of prisoners would be carried out between warring states.
What are the rules for re-captured POWs?
According to Human Rights News, the rules are quite direct when it comes to re-captured POWs: "If a POW tries to escape and is recaptured, the POW is only liable to disciplinary confinement." Note that there is one caveat: "However the POW may be punished for any violence used in the escape attempt."
What law protects prisoners of war?
The Third Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war. It defines their rights and sets out detailed rules for their treatment and release. International humanitarian law also protects other people deprived of their liberty in connection with armed conflict.
How are the POWs protected under the Geneva Convention?
Prisoners of war must at all times be humanely treated. Any unlawful act or omission by the Detaining Power causing death or seriously endangering the health of a prisoner of war in its custody is prohibited, and will be regarded as a serious breach of the present Convention.
Is mistreatment of POWs a war crime?
It is a war crime to willfully kill, mistreat, or torture POWs, or to willfully cause great suffering, or serious injury to body or health. No torture or other form of coercion may be inflicted on POWs to obtain from them any type of information. Reprisals against prisoners of war are strictly forbidden.
What did the Hague Convention say about treatment of POWs?
Prisoners of war are in the power of the hostile Government, but not of the individuals or formation which captured them. They shall at all times be humanely treated and protected, particularly against acts of violence, from insults and from public curiosity. Measures of reprisal against them are forbidden.
How are POWs treated today?
POWs must be treated humanely in all circumstances. They are protected against any act of violence, as well as against intimidation, insults, and public curiosity. IHL also defines minimum conditions of detention covering such issues as accommodation, food, clothing, hygiene and medical care.
What is Article 7 Geneva Convention?
Common Article 7 embodies the presumption that in most cases the statuses, rights and mechanisms established by the Conventions, properly applied, afford the best protection for protected persons in situations of armed conflict.
How did America treat POWs during ww2?
The U.S. camps were run in strict accordance with the terms of the 1929 Geneva Convention. All prisoners were entitled to housing, food, medical care and clothing appropriate to the climate in which they were being held.
How were soldiers treated by both sides of taken prisoner?
Prisoners on both sides of the conflict faced similar hazards such as contaminated drinking water, overcrowding, and diseases that passed between prisoners and prison camps. Diarrhea, dysentery, gangrene, scurvy and smallpox were all conditions that plagued prisoners.
How were American POWs treated in ww2?
Prisoners were routinely beaten, starved and abused and forced to work in mines and war-related factories in clear violation of the Geneva Conventions. Of the 27,000 Americans taken prisoner by the Japanese, a shocking 40 percent died in captivity, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.
What is Article 3 of Geneva Convention?
Article 3 offers an international minimum protection to persons taking no active part in hostilities, including members of armed forces in certain situations specifically stated in the article. Humane and non-discriminatory treatment are two important protections offered under this provision.
What does the Hague Convention do?
The Hague Convention protects children and their families against the risks of illegal, irregular, premature or ill-prepared adoptions abroad.
What are the 3 Geneva Protocols?
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional ProtocolsThe First Geneva Convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war. ... The Second Geneva Convention protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war. ... The Third Geneva Convention applies to prisoners of war.
What was the effect of Soviet POWs being transported by train?
When Soviet POWs were transported by train, the Armed Forces High Command permitted only open freight cars to be used. Sometimes days went by without the prisoners receiving any rations. This resulted in an enormous loss of life during winter months.
How did the onset of winter affect the death of Soviet POWs?
The onset of winter accelerated the mass death of Soviet POWs, because so many had little or no protection from the cold. Even in POW camps in Germany, Soviet POWs had often been left for months to vegetate in trenches, dugouts or sod houses. In the occupied eastern territories conditions were even worse.
What was the bread that the POWs ate?
The POWs were often provided, for example, only special "Russian" bread made from sugar beet husks and straw flour. Suffering from malnutrition and nearing starvation, numerous reports from the late summer and fall of 1941 show that in many camps the desperate POWs tried to ease their hunger by eating grass and leaves.
What was the Nazi policy on Soviet prisoners of war?
From the very beginning, German policy on the treatment of Soviet prisoners of war (POWs) was determined by Nazi ideology. German political and military leaders regarded Soviet POWs not only as racially less valuable but as potential enemies, obstacles in the German conquest of "living space." The Nazi regime claimed that it was under no obligation for the humane care of prisoners of war from the Red Army#N#View This Term in the Glossary#N#because the Soviet Union had not ratified the 1929 Geneva Convention on Prisoners of War, nor had it specifically declared its commitment to the 1907 Hague Convention on the Rules of War. Technically both nations, therefore, were bound only by the general international law of war as it had developed in modern times. Yet even under that law, prisoners of war were to be protected.
How did Soviet prisoners die?
Many Soviet soldiers, including many wounded, died on the way to the prisoner collection centers and transit camps; others died during transit to camps in occupied Poland or the German Reich. Most of the prisoners captured in 1941 had to march to the rear across hundreds of miles and those who were too exhausted to continue were shot to death on the spot. When Soviet POWs were transported by train, the Armed Forces High Command permitted only open freight cars to be used. Sometimes days went by without the prisoners receiving any rations. This resulted in an enormous loss of life during winter months. According to army reports between 25 percent and 70 percent of the prisoners on these transports from the occupied Baltic countries died en route to Germany.
When did Soviet POWs starve?
The Treatment of Soviet POWs: Starvation, Disease, and Shootings, June 1941–January 1942
Who was the officer in charge of prisoner of war affairs in the Armed Forces High Command?
In the middle of July 1941, Gen. Hermann Reinecke, who was the officer in charge of prisoner-of-war affairs in the Armed Forces High Command, permitted security forces under the Reich Security Main Officeto screen Soviet prisoners of war in the POW camps for "politically and racially intolerable elements" among the Soviet prisoners. These prisoners were transferred to SS jurisdiction and killed. This contributed to an enormous rise in the number of victims, since not only were "all important state and party functionaries" regarded as "intolerable," but so were "intellectuals," all "fanatic Communists," and "all Jews."
Who will study the possibility of allowing the Red Cross Associations of some countries to visit the prisoners?
4. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the General Political Department will study the possibility of allowing the Red Cross Associations of some countries to visit the prisoners.
Why do we need to concentrate graves?
With regards to the graves of those who have died, they need to be concentrated into a number of central locations to facilitate administration and so that later we can return the remains to their families.
What did the Nixon administration do in 1969?
In the spring of 1969 the Nixon Administration, apparently for both humanitarian and domestic political reasons, initiated a massive public relations campaign to demand that the North Vietnamese adhere to the provisions of the Geneva Convention on the treatment of Prisoners of War. The United States also officially raised this subject in the recently-initiated Vietnam Peace Conference in Paris.
Why did North Vietnam refuse to provide the names of the prisoners?
The North Vietnamese refused to provide the International Red Cross with the names of Americans who were being held prisoner in North Vietnam and did not allow regular inspection visits by the International Red Cross to ensure that the prisoners were being treated properly in accordance with the terms of the 1947 Geneva Convention on POWs.
What was North Vietnam's position on American prisoners?
From the very beginning of the war, North Vietnam’s stated position was that American prisoners captured in North Vietnam were “war criminals” who had committed crimes against ...
Do we view American pilots as prisoners of war?
Even though we do not view American pilots as prisoners of war and we are not bound by the terms of the 1949 Geneva Convention governing the treatment of prisoners of war, we should apply the points of the Geneva Convention that are consistent with our humanitarian policies.
How are prisoners of war affected?
Conditions confronting and treatment accorded prisoners of war are affected by such factors as climate and geography, a nation's concept of the armed forces, its view of reprisals as a "legitimate" activity of war, its acceptance or rejection of international conventions on the rights of human beings, and something as simple as the whim of individual captors. Tremendous suffering has been endured by prisoners because of cultural differences between countries. For example, during World War II, because Russia and Japan considered those that surrendered to be totally disgraced, they treated their prisoners with utmost contempt.
How were prisoners held during the Civil War?
Initially during the Civil War, a system of paroles and exchanges was used. Paroled prisoners were released to their homes after signing a document pledging not to bear arms until formally exchanged.
Why were prisoners of war not kept?
During the Middle Ages, when the concept of ransom was developed, it became beneficial for warriors to capture wealthy soldiers. Holding prisoners required expenses for their upkeep; therefore, prisoners were not kept unless it was expedient to the captor to do so. Soldiers of little status or wealth were killed to reduce the enemy's numbers.
What was the history of prisoners of war?
The history of prisoners of war is as old as the history of warfare. In primitive times, the captured warriors were considered the personal property of the captor and were forced into slavery. During the Middle Ages, when the concept of ransom was developed, it became beneficial for warriors to capture wealthy soldiers. Holding prisoners required expenses for their upkeep; therefore, prisoners were not kept unless it was expedient to the captor to do so. Soldiers of little status or wealth were killed to reduce the enemy's numbers.
Why were individual soldiers enemies?
Individual soldiers were enemies only so long as they were armed and the captors only rights over prisoners were to keep them from returning to the battle lines. This way of thinking resulted in more humane treatment for those officially classified as prisoners of war.
Why were soldiers of little status or wealth killed?
Soldiers of little status or wealth were killed to reduce the enemy's numbers. During the 17th and 18th centuries, more modern thinking on the status of prisoners of war began to develop as war began to be considered strictly a relationship between states.
When did the military give names to prisoners?
The Code of Conduct, issued on executive order by President Eisenhower in 1955, requires the military prisoner to give only name, rank, service number, and date of birth.
Who reviews the classification of prisoners?
If a contractor is delegated the authority to classify prisoners, the classification system and instrument should be approved and individual classification decisions reviewed by the contracting agency.
How should correctional authorities facilitate prisoners' reintegration into free society?
Correctional authorities should facilitate prisoners’ reintegration into free society by implementing appropriate conditions of confinement and by sustained planning for such reintegration. (c) A correctional facility should maintain order and should protect prisoners from harm from other prisoners and staff.
What are the restrictions placed on prisoners?
Restrictions placed on prisoners should be necessary and proportionate to the legitimate objectives for which those restrictions are imposed. (d) Correctional authorities should respect the human rights and dignity of prisoners. No prisoner should be subjected to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or conditions.
How often should a prisoner receive a mental health assessment?
Each prisoner should receive a comprehensive medical and mental health assessment by qualified medical and mental health professionals no later than
What should be provided to prisoners?
(f) Prisoners should be provided basic educational materials relating to disease prevention, good health, hygiene, and proper usage of medication.
Should prisoners receive preferential treatment?
No prisoner should receive preferential treatment, including improved living or work conditions or an improved likelihood of early release, in exchange for participation in behavioral or biomedical research, unless the purpose of the research is to evaluate the outcomes associated with such preferential treatment.
Article 1
- The High Contracting Parties undertake to respect and to ensure respect for the present Convention in all circumstances.
Article 2
- In addition to the provisions which shall be implemented in peace time, the present Convention shall apply to all cases of declared war or of any other armed conflict which may arise between two or more of the High Contracting Parties, even if the state of war is not recognized by one of them. The Convention shall also apply to all cases of partial or total occupation of the territory o…
Article 3
- In the case of armed conflict not of an international character occurring in the territory of one of the High Contracting Parties, each party to the conflict shall be bound to apply, as a minimum, the following provisions: 1. Persons taking no active part in the hostilities, including members of armed forces who have laid down their arms and those placed hors de combat by sickness, wou…
Article 4
- A. Prisoners of war, in the sense of the present Convention, are persons belonging to one of the following categories, who have fallen into the power of the enemy: 1. Members of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict as well as members of militias or volunteer corps forming part of such armed forces. 2. Members of other militias and members of other volunteer corps, includin…
Article 5
- The present Convention shall apply to the persons referred to in Article 4 from the time they fall into the power of the enemy and until their final release and repatriation. Should any doubt arise as to whether persons, having committed a belligerent act and having fallen into the hands of the enemy, belong to any of the categories enumerated in Article 4, such persons shall enjoy the pro…
Article 6
- In addition to the agreements expressly provided for in Articles 10, 23, 28, 33, 60, 65, 66, 67, 72, 73, 75, 109, 110, 118, 119, 122 and 132, the High Contracting Parties may conclude other special agreements for all matters concerning which they may deem it suitable to make separate provision. No special agreement shall adversely affect the situation of prisoners of war, as defin…
Article 7
- Prisoners of war may in no circumstances renounce in part or in entirety the rights secured to them by the present Convention, and by the special agreements referred to in the foregoing Article, if such there be.
Article 9
- The provisions of the present Convention constitute no obstacle to the humanitarian activities which the International Committee of the Red Cross or any other impartial humanitarian organization may, subject to the consent of the Parties to the conflict concerned, undertake for the protection of prisoners of war and for their relief.
Article 10
- The High Contracting Parties may at any time agree to entrust to an organization which offers all guarantees of impartiality and efficacy the duties incumbent on the Protecting Powers by virtue of the present Convention. When prisoners of war do not benefit or cease to benefit, no matter for what reason, by the activities of a Protecting Power or of an organization provided for in the firs…