Question Home

Position:Home>History> How were captured American GIs (and related Allied troups) treated by the German


Question: How were captured American GIs (and related Allied troups) treated by the Germans in WWII!?
Someone please refresh my memory!. I remember my professor saying that the German and Axis forces were more than willing to surrender to the Allies (with the exception of the Soviet Union) because they recognized the Geneva Convention standards on the treatment of P!.O!.Ws!. How were the Allied troops (more specifically American GIs) treated by the Germans (or any other European Axis powers) who caputred them!?Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
hello

Germany and Italy generally treated prisoners from the British Commonwealth, France, the U!.S!. and other Western allies, in accordance with the Geneva Convention (1929), which had been signed by these countries!.Nazi Germany did not extend this level of treatment to non-Western prisoners, such as the Soviets, who suffered harsh conditions and died in large numbers while in captivity

In German camps, when soldiers of lower rank were made to work, they were compensated, and officers (e!.g!. in Colditz Castle) were not required to work

Only 8,348 Western Allied (British, American and Canadian) prisoners died in German camps in 1939-45 (3!.5% of the 232,000 total)!.

So it can be deduced that the allied prisoners werent generally badly treated

compare this to the russian pows !.!.!.!. 5!.7 million captured , with 3!.3 million of these prisoners (57!.5% of the total captured) dying during their captivity

The japanese camps were terrible, according to the findings of the Tokyo tribunal, the death rate of Western prisoners was 27!.1% (American POWs died at a rate of 37%), seven times that of POWs under the Germans and Italians

Www@QuestionHome@Com

iansand9876 no they weren't lol!.!.!.

true the the British and American troops were treated well for the most part, the USSR troops were treated the exact opposite they were thrown into labor camps and worked to death or shot as soon as the surrendered or tortured to death!.!.!.!.

this is the reason why the German troops didn't want to surrender to the USSR troops for fear of repercussions of what they had done to the USSR troops!.!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com

They treated the allied prisoners pretty well according to the rules of the Geneva convention!.
The russians however were treated a lot worse and forced to perform hard labor!.
The Japanese had little or no respect for their POW and many of them died during captivityWww@QuestionHome@Com

Actually Germans were pretty fair with POWs, The Japanese empire on the other hand were rough with their prisoners, including americans!.
They slaughtered many POWs or used them as slaves to build roads and bridges, and other demeaning tasks!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Pretty much according to the Geneva convention!.

The Japanese were not signatories, and were less gentle!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Better Colditz than Abu Graib!.Www@QuestionHome@Com