What is a POW?
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase “prisoner of war” dates back to 1610.
In very early times, in historical battles, captured prisoners became enslaved or were killed.
WW1
Over 4,000 Australians were taken POWs during World War I. The majority—around 3,853—were captured on Western Front by German forces, while over 200 were captured by Ottoman (Turkish) forces in the Middle East. Records indicate that 395 Australians died in captivity during the war.
During World War I between 7–9 million soldiers surrendered and were held in POW Camps. Approximately 10% (~750,000) died in captivity.
WW2 EUROPEAN THEATRE
During the war approximately 35 million soldiers surrendered, many held in POW Camps. Most of the POWs were taken in the European theatre of war. Approx. 14%, or 5 million, died in captivity; out of these, 3 million fatalities were Soviet POWs, and one million, German POWs.
Around 170-180,000 British and Commonwealth POWs were captured by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy in WW2.
They were mostly taken into captivity during early stages of war when Britain and her empire were very much on the back foot. Defeats in France, Greece, and North Africa led to vast swathes of Commonwealth servicemen being taken prisoner.
POWS IN WW2 PACIFIC WAR
During WW2 there were 32,000 Australian servicemen, military nurses and civilians held as POWs or interned.
Over 22,000 Australians became prisoners of war of the Japanese in south-east Asia : Army (about 21,000); RAN (354); and RAAF (373). The Army prisoners were largely from the 8th Division captured at the fall of Singapore . Australian troops were also captured on Java, Timor, Ambon and New Britain.
POWs were formed into work parties to provide forced labour for the Japanese army. Throughout the war, Changi in Singapore was the main camp from which working parties were sent to other destinations and through which POWS captured in other areas were staged.
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More than 170,000 British prisoners of war (POWs) were taken by German and Italian forces during the Second World War.
After 9 August, between 1.6 million and 1.7 million Japanese soldiers were taken POWs by Soviet troops upon Hirohito’s surrender. Incredible, considering Japanese military culture taught troops to prefer death to surrender.
More than 5 million Soviet men and women troops were taken POWs by Germany and about 3 million died.
About 3 million German troops were taken POWs by the Soviet Army. The Russians were vengeful towards to Germans more than any other country. (The Russians suffered terribly at the hands of Germany). 2 million Germans were freed from Russia, some as late as 1956.
Above: 1944 Moscow. German POWs for the Parade of the Vanquished. The Parade of the Vanquished (Parad pobezhdyonnykh) took place on 17 July 1944, Moscow where – 57,000 German POWs, captured during Operation Bagration marched through the city to showcase the scale of Soviet victory and humiliating Nazi defeat. The procession, including 19 generals, served as propaganda and was followed by sprinkler trucks symbolically cleaning the streets.
Above: German POWs at Kiev WW2 under guard of Russians.
