Prison Camps In Japan

Throughout World War II, Japan was most known for having the most barbaric treatments in their prison camps. Unlike other prison camps around the world, Japan had a tendency of torturing their prisoners not only physically but mentally. While countries like Germany and Russia only starved and forced labor on their prisoners, Japan tortured their prisoners mentally to the point of insanity (Japanese Treatment of World War II). Throughout one of the camps in Japan there laid a famous Olympic distance runner, Louie Zamperini. He was in a prison camp due to his plane crashing down into the Pacific Ocean. Even though a few of his partners along with him were not lucky enough to survive the crash, the surviving partners were not lucky enough to be safe from the Japanese. Louie and Phil which survived the journey that the raft took them through were captured by a Japanese Navy ship. Once the Japanese took a hold of them, they each were separated into different prison camps. During this time Japan was really into track and cross country so Louie having many accomplishments in that field, he became a major deal for the Japanese. …show more content…
Almost all the food that was rarely given to prisoners included; white rice or food that was infested with maggots and harmful bacteria. When given water they would only get about a gulp sized amount. Most prisoners had unrecognizable bony figures once being put in prison camps due to most of their body fat being lost (Japanese Treatment of World War II Prisoners of War). Being starved and dehydrated barely even gave them the ability to do all the extremely arduous labour. While doing labour work, prisoners would fall from no energy left and some unlucky ones died. Depression, social withdrawal, self-mutilation, and hysteria were some psychological effects associated with starvation (Kaplan). Mental stability would decrease and prisoners would lose their personal integrity. Many prisoners would rather give up and die than wait or find a way to survive without food. Prisoners were no longer helping each other out, instead they were just focused on supporting themselves. The once prisoners that were taught to never leave a prisoner behind were now giving up on helping their fellow prisoners survive. While people were dying and in terrible health, prisoners would still steal food and keep it all to themselves (Urwin). Louie Zamperini was lucky enough to have partners in the prison camps that did everything to always find a source of food for everybody not just