Life Behind the Wire: Prisoners of War

What happens when a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine is captured during war? Most people aren’t aware of the drastic differences that exist between varying prisoner of war (POW) experiences. The camp and captor greatly determine the lifestyle and treatment these prisoners receive. What happens when a soldier, sailor, airman, or marine is captured during war? How do they cope with the physical and mental toll of prison life after capture?

The experience was different for each individual forced to endure capture by the enemy. Food was scarce for some, others received adequate meals, exercise, and comradery. Some endured long hours of work. Many were limited to just a few words for outside communication. From escape attempts and their consequences to the ingenuity and inventiveness of prisoners, Life Behind the Wire draws from the special collections and archives of the Museum & Library, along with never-before-seen prisoner of war materials on loan to the museum. The exhibit focuses on POWs from WWII and the Vietnam War, and how those experiences highlight the perseverance of the citizen soldier when faced with insurmountable odds.

Visitors will be able to explore artifacts, archival materials, photographs, and oral histories that examine international laws pertaining to POWs, day to day life in a prisoner of war camp, and individual reflections of life as a POW. Life Behind the Wire looks at these individual’s experiences to illustrate how the POW experience has changed throughout American military history as well as how POW perspectives fit into the larger narratives of war.