Pow Camps Experiences

Describe the everyday experiences had by both prisoners and guards in POW camps. Compare the experiences of Australian POWs in German and Japanese camps.

During World War II, it was a common action for the German and Japanese soldiers to capture Allied soldiers. This meant that the Australian, British, American, Irish and Russian troops were held in prisoner of war camps in less than ideal conditions. Due to the Geneva convention and a different set of morals and beliefs, the Germans have been noted to have treated their prisoners of war much more kindly than the Japanese did. It can be proven with the use of various sources that while both camps treated their prisoners in ways in which were not ideal, the experiences had by both prisoners
POWs were forced to take part in "death marches", one of which in 1945 had only 6 survivors out of 2345 prisoners who began the march. They could be sorted into work parties and set to work in forced heavy labour camps across Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Indochina, Burman, Manchuria, Taiwan and Japan. They could be sent on sea voyages planned strategically so that the POWS were vulnerable to attacks by US subs, their own side of allies. Due to the harsh, ruthless treatment received from the guards and the appalling conditions, it is unsurprising that 36% of prisoners died most commonly caused by forced labour, severe beatings, disease and starvation. (Anderson, M., 2012). They were housed in long corridor-like tents lined with many uncomfortable looking beds crammed with many prisoners with no protection from the elements. They wore small undergarments made of thin material that hung limply to their underfed bodies as they suffering from malnutrition. (Unknown, 1943). Prisoners of war in Germany run camps were provided with sufficient medical supplies and knowledgable staff to effectively take care of sick or injured prisoners, were allowed
In Japanese Camps, those who misbehaved even at a minor degree could be faced with severe punishments, one recounting a particular attack as "blows with a fist, hammering over the face and head with wooden clogs, repeatedly thrown to the ground... kicking in the stomach and scrotum and ribs etc.... When the men fell to the ground they were somehow got to their feet by such a painful stimuli as the above and the dose was repeated" (hellfire-pass.commemoration.gov.au, 2015). This source also further proves that minor infractions such as fainting to salute Japanese guards as it describes the many physical punishments endured by prisoners. Severe be stings were common, as well as "face slapping", where they were repeatedly slapped with bamboo, sticks or shovels. It also describes seemingly tedious yet excruciating punishments such as being made to hold a heavy stone over their heads for hours, being forced into small cells with even less old and water than already provided, or in extreme cases, one man reported that a fellow prisoner was made to kneel on a piece of bamboo for a number of days which caused cuts in his legs which lead to gangrene and the eventual loss of both legs. Whilst still treated with distain, it is clear that the soldiers held by