Prisoner of war

A prisoner of war (POW) is a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict.

The laws apply from the moment a prisoner is captured until he is released or repatriated. One of the main provisions of the convention makes it illegal to torture prisoners, and states that a prisoner can only be required to give his name, date of birth, rank and service number (if applicable).

Article 4 of the Third Geneva Convention protects captured military personnel, guerrilla fighters and certain civilians.

American Revolutionary War

Category:Prisoners of war in the American Revolutionary War

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  Illustration of British soldiers surrendering after the Battle of Saratoga

Crimean War

Category:Crimean War prisoners of war

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  Russian prisoner after the battle of Kinburn (1855)

American Civil War

Category:Prisoners of war in the American Civil War

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  Confederate POWs at Gettysburg
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  Union Army soldier on his release from Belle Isle prison camp in May, 1865.

Spanish American War

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  Spanish prisoners in Santiago marching to transports, 1898

Philippine Revolution

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  Filipino POWs near San Miguel Cathedral, 1899
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  The first prisoners of the Filipino revolution in 1896.

Second Boer War

Category:Prisoners of war in the Second Boer War

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  transit camp for prisoners of war
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  Winston Churchill in Durban in the British Cape Colony in 1899. Delivering a speech after escaping from a South African prisoners' of war camp.

WWI

Category:Prisoners of war in World War I

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  Austro-Hungarian POWs in Russia, 1915
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  Russian POW in Tuchola, 1919
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  Turkish prisoners, 1915
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  A wounded female Russian POW who had fought in the frontline, published 1916

German Revolution

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  POW captured during the revolution in Bavaria

WWII

Category:Prisoners of war in World War II

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  The endless procession of German prisoners captured with the fall of Aachen marching through the ruined city streets to captivity
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  German prisoners, WW II
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  Japanese prisoners in Changde.
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  Japanese prisoners
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  German POW's captured by the U.S. 82nd Airborne division in Belgium
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  British and French prisoners at Veules-les-Roses, France
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  British POWs in Italy
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  „Lager Remagen“ (in April 1945, the head count amounted 660,000 inmates)
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  POW Camp Remagen, Germany (Goldene Meile)

Heimkehrer

Category:Heimkehrer

English: German POWs returning home after the end of WW II

Deutsch: Heimkehrer

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  German POWs returning from the Russia
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  Released POWs

Indonesian National Revolution

Category:Prisoners of war in the Indonesian Revolution

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  Men from the military police with a prisoner of war from the Republican Army, Banjoemas.

Korean War

Category:Prisoners of war in the Korean War

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  Chinese and North Korean POWs
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  Captured Chinese soldiers
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  American POWs

Vietnam War

Category:Prisoners of war in the Vietnam War

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  ARVN POWs are being repatriated

Falklands War

Category:Prisoners of war in the Falklands War

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  Argentine POWs
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  POWs in Stanley

Iran-Iraq War

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  In re-taking Khorramshahr, the Iranians captured some 19,000 soldiers from a demoralized Iraqi Army in 1982.

Soviet war in Afghanistan

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  POW in Afghanistan captured by Spetsnaz

Desert Storm

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  Iraq prisoners, "Desert Storm', 1991