Essay Networks

When asking the question can morality be found in Prisoner of War (POW) camps the first thing I did was go to the Internet to find sources that might tell me what or if there are any rules pertaining to the treatment of prisoners in POW camps. From my research I found a website titled www.diggerhistory.com and this website provided me with information on the 3rd Geneva Convention rules on war and POW camps. It went into great detail on the rules of warfare and the acceptable treatment of prisoners in POW camps.

The first thing that I would like to talk about is war. The reality of war is that it is an ugly thing and there really is nothing moral about it, but war is a part of humanity and with war comes POW camps. The outcome of the 3rd Geneva Convention created rules to make certain morality in a time of war. The 3rd Geneva Convention Laws must be obeyed. The laws set out the duties, responsibilities, and rights of both the prisoners and the guards.

On the second page of the 3rd Geneva Convention found at www.diggerhistory.com is the list of POW camp rules. Clearly, prisoners of war lose their freedom, however they are not criminals. They are enemy soldiers whose participation in the war has come to a halt. The 3rd Geneva Convention is built around the idea that POW’s retain their military status and are entitled to humane treatment.

POW camps have to be located in an area that is safe and away from the battlefield. It should be located in an area where the environment does not threaten the health of the POW’s. There is also a general prohibition on housing POWs in penitentiaries (article 22). POW’s should be housed in such a way as to protect them from the effects of the war, specifically aerial bombardment. The camp should be marked with the letter PW, which are visible from the air (article 25). If the people held are lawful prisoners of war they should be given an opportunity to fill out and send a “capture card.” The purpose of the card is to let the family know of the capture and provide some general information as to the health of the captive; the card must be filed within seven days of the arrival to the camp. Medical care must be provided for those who need it, there should be an infirmary in the camp and it should be staffed with qualified medical personnel. That doesn’t mean medical doctors, but at least people with some medical training (article 33). The POW’s must be fed and provided with drinking water, but the convention requires that the normal diet of the POW’s should be taken into consideration (article 26); it would be improper to force Muslim POW’s to eat food forbidden by their religion.

So when the question is raised about whether or not morality can be found in POW camps? The answer is most defiantly yes. War is a horrible thing and there is nothing good about it. Yet I feel the first statement in the 3rd Geneva Convention answers the question that morality can in fact be found in POW camps; “Clearly, prisoners of war lose their freedom. But they are not criminals.” There are rules to war like there are rules to sports and that is to ensure a level of morality in an ugly and deadly hell called war.