Prisoners of the Empire by Sarah Kovner


ISBN
9780674737617
Published
Binding
Hardcover
Pages
336
Dimensions
156 x 235mm

A pathbreaking account of World War II POW camps, challenging the longstanding belief that the Japanese Empire systematically mistreated Allied prisoners.

In only five months, from the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 to the fall of Corregidor in May 1942, the Japanese Empire took prisoner more than 140,000 Allied servicemen and 130,000 civilians from a dozen different countries. From Manchuria to Java, Burma to New Guinea, the Japanese army hastily set up over seven hundred camps to imprison these unfortunates. In the chaos, 40 percent of American POWs did not survive. More Australians died in captivity than were killed in combat.

Sarah Kovner offers the first portrait of detention in the Pacific theater that explains why so many suffered. She follows Allied servicemen in Singapore and the Philippines transported to Japan on "hellships" and singled out for hard labor, but also describes the experience of guards and camp commanders, who were completely unprepared for the task. Much of the worst treatment resulted from a lack of planning, poor training, and bureaucratic incoherence rather than an established policy of debasing and tormenting prisoners. The struggle of POWs tended to be greatest where Tokyo exercised the least control, and many were killed by Allied bombs and torpedoes rather than deliberate mistreatment.

By going beyond the horrific accounts of captivity to actually explain why inmates were neglected and abused, Prisoners of the Empire contributes to ongoing debates over POW treatment across myriad war zones, even to the present day.
EOFY 2025 Book Frenzy
66.29
RRP: $77.99
15% off RRP



Instore Price: $77.99
Enter your Postcode or Suburb to view availability and delivery times.

You might also like

The Nazis
Unknown
24.99
12.99
48% Off
The Fall Of Berlin
Anthony Tucker-Jones
34.99
14.99
57% Off
Mein Kampf
59.99
50.99
15% Off
History Of World War II
49.99
25.00
50% Off
Always Remember Your Name
24.99
9.99
60% Off
Great Battles of WWII
24.99
9.99
60% Off
The Choice
29.99
16.00
47% Off
SAS Rogue Heroes
Ben Macintyre
24.99
21.24
15% Off
DDay Landings
24.99
9.99
60% Off
The Story of the SS
24.99
9.99
60% Off
Big Week
35.00
16.00
54% Off
DDay Photo History
69.99
25.00
64% Off
The Second World War
26.99
22.94
15% Off

RRP refers to the Recommended Retail Price as set out by the original publisher at time of release.
The RRP set by overseas publishers may vary to those set by local publishers due to exchange rates and shipping costs.
Due to our competitive pricing, we may have not sold all products at their original RRP.