“Japanese Prisoners Feared the Worst — What They Got from Americans Shocked Them” скачать в хорошем качестве

“Japanese Prisoners Feared the Worst — What They Got from Americans Shocked Them”

The Americans who took them prisoner were cautious, professional, and humane. Soldiers who had trained to expect a desperate, fanatical enemy were instead confronted by men who had already been broken by the war — exhausted, hungry, and terrified. In the camps, Japanese POWs could hardly believe the generosity extended to them. They were fed, given clean water, allowed medical attention, and treated with a level of dignity many had never known. For men who had been indoctrinated with fear, the contrast was staggering. Private Saito, captured on Leyte, later recounted his disbelief: “I thought we would be killed. Every story I had heard said the Americans would shoot us the moment we stepped out. Instead, they gave us food. They healed our wounds. I could not believe it.” This humane treatment was not random. The Geneva Conventions, though widely ignored in many theaters of the war, guided American policy toward prisoners. Commanders understood that adherence to law and ethics could save lives, reduce retaliation against their own men, and sometimes even foster intelligence from captured soldiers. Yet even with these measures, the psychological shock for Japanese POWs was immense. Many refused to eat at first, convinced the food was poisoned. Some wept openly, not knowing how to process the sudden absence of cruelty. For many, it was the first time in years that they had encountered mercy instead of violence.