Why Didn't Nazis just Kill POWs

[KennySue]

The main reason the Nazis didn't kill POWs was that there wasn't that many of them about.

The SS and the Gestapo were made up of Nazis but the majority of the German armed forces weren't. They were ordinary soldiers following the orders issued by the democratically elected government.

And soldiers have a strange attitude to enemy soldiers. During a battle they kill each other - that's the job they're there to do. But afterwards a soldier is a soldier. He may wear a different uniform from you but basically he's no different. He's just trying to stay alive and do his job.

Remember that most soldiers have more in common with their immediate opponents on the other end of their barrel or bayonet than they do with their own commanders way back behind the lines issuing their orders.

And another reason for fair treatment is that soldiers know that POWs are taken by both sides. So they tend to treat the prisoners they take well in the hope that any of their comrades taken prisoner by the enemy will be treated well, too.

The soldiers of Imperial Japan were another matter. They were indoctrinated from an early age in the cult of Bushido. So, of course, they would be more fanatical than their European counterparts. In fact, the architects of Nazi idealogy based their organisation on Japanese political and military culture - with the emphasis on "cult". So, of course, the Nazis were as fanatical as their Asian inspiration.

[steve56]

Your right about the Japs ive watched films like 3 came home and a Town like Alicemagoo wrote:

> Now I know I have been known to spout shite on this forum when
> drunk but I can assure you this story is 100% true.
>
> My great uncle was in the war along with his two brothers. Oh
> on our side by the way incase you thought I might be a German!
> The sisters in the family stayed at home working in factories
> producing bombs twenty four hours a day.
>
> Anyway. Said Uncle got captured by the Germans along with his
> mates and were all put in a barn where they expected they might
> be shot. A German Officer came in and said to get them fed and
> watered and stick them on the "long march" to Poland. Quite a
> few died on route and apparentley the bigger guys seemed to
> collapse first. They were stealing and eating raw turnips and
> bacon just to stay alive.
>
> Anyway to cut a long story short. When he came home he had
> nothing but respect for the Germans because their doctors saved
> his life in the POW camp - the health care was far superior to
> that offered back here in England. He did get shoved down a
> dark hole by them with just bread and water for a wweek as
> punishment for burning a bit of wood from a window in order to
> warm the hut. And another guy was shot on the spot for flirting
> with passing girls through the barbed wire.
>
> In fact the last time I recall seeing him he had been to buy
> his favourite German bread and pumpernickel at soome german
> bakery in Newcastle. He died before he reached 60 - no doubt as
> a result of the stress he had endured.
>
> Anyway forgive my little family history thing but my point is
> that he had loads of respect for the Germans despite being
> their prisoner for most of the war. A postcard arrived at his
> daughters a few years back from a guy in Scotland who served
> with him in the camp....the guy was crushed when he was told my
> great uncle died. He said "No way, not ****** he was our light
> and joy! Kept us all amused with his storys and he loved his
> books".
>
> I hope I havnt wasted my time typing all that. Lets have some
> comments.
>
> Personally I think the Germans treated POWS decently. Unlike
> the Japs who were barbaric.

[Deano!]

Very interesting answer Kenny. Thanks. The BGAFD is like a mini university - but without the drugs and silly fashions.

[Trumpton]

There was an agreement reached between the Allies and the Soviet Union that the Red Army would be the first to enter Berlin.

[andy at handiwork]

Indeed there was, ( though that can possibly be attributed to Eisenhower's naivity with regards to Stalin's intentions for a post-war Europe), but if the German army in the west had collapsed early in 45 rather than fight on, the temptation to rush on to Berlin might have been very great.

[Trumpton]

Churchill was also duped by Stalin.

[andy at handiwork]

By that stage of the war, what Churchill thought was pretty irrelevant, especially to the Americans. He was a lot less stary eyed though about the threat from Stalin than the Americans.