"History and Legal Status of Prisoners of War" Topic

"The history of prisoners of war is as old as the history of warfare. In primitive times, the captured warriors were considered the personal property of the captor and were forced into slavery. During the Middle Ages, when the concept of ransom was developed, it became beneficial for warriors to capture wealthy soldiers. Holding prisoners required expenses for their upkeep; therefore, prisoners were not kept unless it was expedient to the captor to do so. Soldiers of little status or wealth were killed to reduce the enemy's numbers.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, more modern thinking on the status of prisoners of war began to develop as war began to be considered strictly a relationship between states. Individual soldiers were enemies only so long as they were armed and the captors only rights over prisoners were to keep them from returning to the battle lines. This way of thinking resulted in more humane treatment for those officially classified as prisoners of war.

Captured Americans during the Revolution were not accorded this special status as prisoners of war. The British considered the freedom fighters to be criminals and thus treated them harshly. American prisoners were held in extremely crowded ships off the coast where thousands died from starvation and exposure…"

Main page

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Armand

Andersonville is also the site of the US National POW Museum

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Thanks

Armand

I am guessing that a number of our members must still be in purgatory. Of the reasons for the British treatment of American prisoners during the AWI, the belief that those Americans were criminals is not at the top of the list.

Glup!

Armand

"Why this is hell, nor are we out of it."
(Mephistophiles, 'The Tragicall History of Doctor Faustus', Christopher Marlowe)

I believe there were a number of crew from captured privateers who were were considered to be criminals, no better than pirates