Everything Everywhere Daily German POWs in America
Sep 24, 2025
The podcast delves into the treatment of German POWs in America during WWII, contrasting their experiences with those captured by the Soviets. It reveals how U.S. camps featured humane conditions, education, and even access to uncensored news, leading to transformations in the prisoners' worldviews. Discussions include labor rules, daily diets that promoted health, and how returned POWs became advocates for democracy in post-war Germany. The narrative highlights the strategic importance of humane treatment in shaping Cold War perceptions.
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Scale And Conditions Of POW Camps
- The U.S. held about 370,000 German POWs across roughly 425 main camps and 700 satellite camps during WWII.
- Conditions generally exceeded Geneva Convention requirements, offering barracks, meals, libraries, and recreation.
Fate Depended On Who Captured Them
- Treatment of captured German soldiers depended heavily on who captured them, with dreadful Soviet camps and comparatively humane Western camps.
- Survival rates varied dramatically: around 45% for Germans held by Soviets versus far higher under Western Allies.
How POW Labor Was Regulated
- Follow the Geneva Convention: POWs may work if paid and not used for enemy war production.
- The U.S. paid POWs 80 cents/day and used special scrip to limit escape survival resources.
