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squire
Half-elven
Feb 14 2009, 11:54pm
Views: 5034
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If I understand this correctly...
[In reply to]
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Can't Post
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Tolkien and Lewis were preparing lessons and examinations for British P.O.W.s held by Germany. Possibly German professors were doing the same for German P.O.W.s in British custody.
The essence of Prisoner of War status is that one is held captive due to the exigencies of war, but one has committed no crime simply by fighting for one's nation. There is no question of vengeance or punishment, only confinement. Therefore the nations involved both treat their P.O.W.s with respect and due military honor, and they expect the opposite side to do the same, the war between the two sides notwithstanding.
Unfortunately, as a war progresses, P.O.W. treatment often deteriorates to concentration camp, or prison camp, conditions.
Beren IV has given us a very astute summary of the dilemma the U.S. faces when fighting irregular soldiers such as the fighters for the Taliban and Al Qaeda taken in Afghanistan and Iraq. Historically, the U.S. has treated even guerilla P.O.W.s (such as - with brutal exceptions - the Viet Cong in the Vietnam War) according to the Geneva Convention, in the hope that our prisoners would thus be similarly treated.
That has always been the real enforcement mechanism in what is otherwise an unenforceable convention between two entities at war: you act in your own self interest, not on abstract moral grounds. Still, some would say that the U.S. must try to consider a higher moral position as part of its own self interest, no matter how the other side behaves, because our nation is founded on higher moral principles of democracy, human rights, and individual freedom.
As you may imagine, Great Britain in Tolkien's time was torn by the same arguments, although its democracy is more evolutionary than revolutionary. Tolkien's letters are fascinating on this issue: he seems to see almost a moral equivalence between Britain's and Germany's brutal conduct of the Second World War, which was not exactly the official line! Meanwhile, his work on behalf of British P.O.W.s shows that at some points of interest, at least, Churchill's Britain and Nazi Germany continued to observe the niceties of "civilized" warfare.
squire online:
RR Discussions: The Valaquenta, A Shortcut to Mushrooms, and Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit
Lights! Action! Discuss on the Movie board!: 'A Journey in the Dark'. and 'Designing The Two Towers'.
Footeramas: The 3rd TORn Reading Room LotR Discussion; and "Tolkien would have LOVED it!"
squiretalk introduces the J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: A Reader's Diary
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Time
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WW2 Oxford External Exams for POWs: Tolkien and Lewis
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a.s.
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Feb 13 2009, 2:56am
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Wow!
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 13 2009, 6:11pm
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Those were more gentlemanly soldiers
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Beren IV
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Feb 14 2009, 3:58am
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War? What war?
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 14 2009, 7:31pm
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A brief aside (before diving back into Tolkien)
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Beren IV
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Feb 14 2009, 10:12pm
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I also mean no disrespect.
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 14 2009, 10:42pm
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That is an article of faith
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Beren IV
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Feb 15 2009, 12:58am
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Or perhaps...
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 15 2009, 1:59am
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If I understand this correctly...
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squire
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Feb 14 2009, 11:54pm
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Germany was also a signator of the Geneva Convention
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Beren IV
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Feb 15 2009, 12:50am
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Prisoner Treatment
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 15 2009, 2:15am
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The more things change....
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Darkstone
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Feb 24 2009, 11:01pm
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Interesting!
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 24 2009, 11:55pm
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Really?
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Dreamdeer
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Feb 15 2009, 2:02am
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