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History Essay: Prisoners of War During World War 2, many Australians were captured to be known as Prisoners of War. The Japanese in particular, mistreated Australian POWs throughout the ongoing conflict of WW2. Australian POWs went through horrifying conditions when they were locked up in concentration camps. They were supplied with poor food rations and the mortality rates were shocking. POWs were used for many purposes when they were captured from the war. The Japanese used POWs for many circumstances that were beyond the situation. The Burma Railway is an event that labels the conditions that Australian POWs had to face while staying in concentration camps. The Sandakan Death March was the worst event for POWs in terms of mortality rates. Australian POWs went through horrifying conditions during their stay in Japanese concentration camps. POWs battled disease, starvation, exhausting work and the brutality of their captors. These Australians were subject to many life-threatening diseases such as malaria, dengue fever, diarrhea, beriberi and cholera. Australian POWs were generally underfed with food rations being low. Without basic protein and vitamins, starvation was the biggest killer of POWs. More than 30000 Australians became prisoners of war between 1940 - 1945. During this time period about a third of these prisoners died. The Japanese mistreated Australian prisoners during the ongoing conflict of WW2. Australian POWs were used for many purposes during WW2 and were mistreated due to Japanese culture. The Japanese treatment to POWs was brutal. Australian POWs were usually forced to live in uninhabitable jungles and endure hours of physical labour. They received no medical treatment and were taunted, starved and abused.... ... middle of paper ... ...203 survived this march. By the end of July only 30 POWs survived at Ranau. Those who remained were shot on 1 August. Of the original 3000, only six Sandakan POWs survived. Seven had escaped into the jungle and been cared for by villagers, but one died before they were rescued. The Japanese mistreated Australian POWs during WW2. Australian POWs went through horrifying conditions when they were locked up in concentration camps. They were supplied with poor food rations and the mortality rates were shocking. POWs were used for many purposes when they were captured from the war. The Japanese used POWs for many circumstances that were beyond the situation. The Burma Railway is an event that labels the conditions that Australian POWs had to face while staying in concentration camps. The Sandakan Death March was the worst event for POWs in terms of mortality rates.

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