Prisoners of war and the German High Command : the British and American experience

Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. Contents ## List of Figures vi Foreword vii List of Abbreviations and Terms viii ## Foreword There are many people to whom, over the course of the preparation of this study, first as a doctoral dissertation and then as a manuscript, I owe a debt of gratitude. Vasilis Vourkoutiotis's book is the first overall examination of the evolution, in policy and practice, of the German High Command's treatment of American and British Commonwealth prisoners-of-war during the Second World War. Based on exhaustive archival research in Germany, the United States, Great Britain and Canada, it is unparalleled in terms of both the breadth and depth of its scope in this field of history. While the German High Command's policies are analysed carefully, their impact on the actual quality of life of the prisoners is measured by the examination of almost one thousand reports by International Red Cross and Protecting Power (Swill diplomatic) delegates, who were given unfettered access in inspecting the POW camps in which the Anglo-Americans were held. The archival depth of the work ensures that it is invaluable for professional historians, while the presentation and analysis remain within the reach of the enthusiastic amateur Based on archival research in Germany, Great Britain, the USA and Canada, this study provides the first complete examination of the relationship between the Oberkommando der Wehrmacht (German Armed Forces High Command), and Anglo-American prisoners of war. German military policy is compared with reports of almost one thousand visits by Red Cross and Protecting Power inspectors to the camps, allowing the reader to judge how well the policies were actually put into practice, and what their impact was on the lives of the captured soldiers, sailors and airmen. Front Matter....Pages i-xi Introduction....Pages 1-10 Background Information....Pages 11-36 General Issues on Policy and Prisoner-of-war Camps....Pages 37-74 Crimes and Punishment of Prisoners of War....Pages 75-108 Economics and External Relations of Prisoners of War....Pages 109-164 Final Assessments....Pages 165-202 Back Matter....Pages 203-266