POW Treatment

In another venue we have been discussing Internment of foreign populations living in the US at the outbreak of World War II.  It then swerved into a discussion of Prisoners of War (POWs) and there treatment.  Here is one person's comment:

A book I read about the German POW experience in CONUS [during World War II] described the treatment that "main stream" POWs (my term, meaning not "hard core Nazis, or VIPs) experienced after arriving in CONUS.  Many were taken on railroads through US cities, not blacked out, and transported for days across the US.  Upon arrival (at least at some camps) they were first met by Italian POWs, cooking for the German POWs and asked "how do you like your steak cooked".

Afterwards, in apparent coordination through the Swiss, the US managed to get German universities to accredit courses given in US POW camps for these Germans.

There was a special program for German VIP POWs, designed to build a new leadership after the war with pro-US attitudes.

Many good stories that did wonders to solidify the post war relations of Germany and the US.

Hard to say that we exercised the same wisdom in the years afterwards.

We also used them to help our manpower shortage.  My wife remembers seeing them "vining" peas near Janesville, Wisconsin.

They WERE the Greatest Generation, and not just the ones in uniform.

Regards  —  Cliff