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There has been lots of debate upon this one, but to fully understand this issue, you must understand Bushido, the warrior's code. This is the idea that the Japanese lived by. Fair and humane treatment of prisoners does not reconcile with Bushido. According to Bushido, you are a warrior and it is not only your right, but your duty to die for the Emperor. You never surrender. So when Allied troops surrendered, this went against everything the Japanese believed in. That is part of the reason they treated the POWs the way they did, they felt nothing but contempt for them, because they surrendered. Also, Japan never signed any agreement to abide by the terms of the Geneva Convention, which also included rules about the treatment of civilians as well as POWs.

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9y ago
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12y ago

The terms of the Geneva Convention were ignored by the Japanese who made up rules and inflicted punishments at the whim of the Camp Commandant. There were more than 140,000 white prisoners in Japanese prisoner of war camps. Of these, one in three died from starvation, work and punishments or from diseases for which there were no medicines to treat.

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16y ago

They in fact did sign the conventions in 1929, but failed to ratify them until 1942. They still ignored the treaty whenever they felt it necessary to during the war.

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Q: How did the Geneva Convention treat prisoners of Japanese war?
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When questioned should I become a prisoner of war the Geneva Conventions requires but does not prohibit you from identifying yourself to your captors. Which Principle of Behavior is that?

The Geneva Convention is how most countries agreed to treat prisoners of war.


What body of law codifies the ideal that soldiers even during armed conflicts must treat others with dignity and respect?

It is known as the "Geneva Convention."


How do the Japanese people treat their elders?

japanese people treat thier elders with a to of respect!


How were Australian POWs treated by the Japanese in World War 2?

The Japanese treated ALL Allied prisoners B A D L Y. The Empire of Japan was not a signatory to the Geneva Convention, therefore they were not bound to treat their prisoners humanely. The Code of Bushito dictated that Japanese Soldiers would never be captured. If they were, that brought shame not only to the man who surrendered, but to his family also. The Japanese applied this Code to Allied Prisoners, military & civilian alike, making them sub-human in the eyes of their captors. Simply put, Allied POWs were loathed by their Japanese captors. Richard V. Horrell WW 2 Connections.com Answer AS RICHARD SAID ABOUT THE CODE OF BUSHITO. ALSO I BELEIVE ACCORDING TO THE SAME CODE,A PRISONER THAT WAS EXECUTED BY BEHEADING WAS CONSIDERED TO HAVE DIED WITH HONOR. HOWEVER WESTERNERS FOUND IT A QUITE APPALLING WAY TO GO.(I AGREE)Further:Apart from the idological approach, which overstates the realities on the ground, there was a practiclal one. The Japanese army need a labour force. The POW were impressed as slaves to build military railways, work in mines, war production. Australian prisoners were used along with other prisoners and inhabitants of the conquered countries as labourers on the Siam-Burma railway construction and in Japan in mining and industry. This had nothing to do with ideology. As a Japanese said 'many men must die' meaning that the work would be unrelentingly severe to achieve the aim of the railway construction - to support the Burma campaign - nothing to do with Bushido.


When the US army says that enemy soldiers have rights then why does the enemy not abide by the same rules today?

The US is a signatory to the Geneva Convention. In doing such, we agreed to adhere to that. The United States government argues that the enemy combatants defined in the Geneva Convention are typical soldiers. That is to say that they wear a uniform or other distinguishing vestment, they are loyal to another nation, they avoid using civilians as targets, shields, or weapons to the greatest extent possible, and that those captured by enemy soldiers will be detained in a signatory nation under that nation's jurisdiction. The enemies that the United States has confronted are not typical soldiers. They do not wear any clothes to distinguish themselves from civilians and frequently hide in their houses and use them as shields. They do not represent the will of any sovereign state and they do not treat their prisoners with dignity. As a result, the United States government argues that the Geneva Convention does not apply. While a legally sound argument, many Americans and foreigners protest this treatment because of its general inhumanity and the idea that America stands for something greater or better than just following the letter of the law.

Related questions

When questioned should I become a prisoner of war the Geneva Conventions requires but does not prohibit you from identifying yourself to your captors. Which Principle of Behavior is that?

The Geneva Convention is how most countries agreed to treat prisoners of war.


After the Geneva convention how did south Vietnamese leader treat his people?

/deals/myessentia/Ritababe


In accordance with code of conduct you provide your captor with name rank service number?

The Geneva Convention requires all prisoners of war give their captors their name, rank, and service number. Captors are required to treat you according to your rank.


How did Japanese treat prisoners of war in World War 2?

They treated the US soldiers terribly.


Toshiko Sasaki suggests that too much attention was paid to the A-Bomb and not on the evils of war React to her view by explaining your reasons for agreement or disagreement?

The terms of the Geneva Convention were ignored by the Japanese who made up rules and inflicted punishments at the whim of the Camp Commandant. There were more than 140,000 white prisoners in Japanese prisoner of war camps. Of these, one in three died from starvation, work and punishments or from diseases for which there were no medicines to treat. Toshiko Sasaki words mean nothing to the Americans.


What body of law codifies the ideal that soldiers even during armed conflicts must treat others with dignity and respect?

It is known as the "Geneva Convention."


How did the Australians treat Japanese prisoners in World War 2?

The Australians treated the Japanese well in POW camps and gave them better food and water than the Japanese gave them, better shelter, medical attention, clothing and cigarettes.


What is the Prisoners of War POW's?

Prisoners of War are enemy soldiers who are captured by your army. The Geneva Convention established certain rules and rights regarding how to treat POWs.A soldier who breaks the law and is punished with imprisonment is not a POW.In the United States, the law requires that a person can only be a POW if the US is at war against his country. This had become a topic of great controversy as the US has captured many accused terrorists even though we are not at war with their country. But a terrorist will not identify himself as your enemy in most cases.


How did Lord Akiyama treat his prisoners in the samurai's tale?

Lord Akiyama did not treat his prisoners very well. He fed them and things but didn't love them in that sense


How did the people in reading treat their prisoners in the war?

not nice


How do the Japanese people treat their elders?

japanese people treat thier elders with a to of respect!


What principal of behavior refers to prisoner of war?

The principle that applies to prisoner of war is the principle of reciprocity. This means that each side must treat prisoners of war with the same rights and privileges as their own military personnel, as outlined in international laws such as the Geneva Conventions.