Nazi POWs in America: The Forgotten Camps with William Geroux

Hey guys, welcome back to the Why Wars Happened History Podcast, where you learn about the causes of wars and things like, why did it happen? Was it inevitable? Who was involved?

Sometimes I go back hundreds of years just so we can understand what happened in our narrative episodes covering the long course of a war and the background of the war. And if you want to talk more about war, we also have authors, historians, war generals, royalty, actors, filmmakers, a whole bunch of people come on as guests and we talk about everything about before, during, and after war. So let's go!

The Why Wars Happened History Podcast covers The American Revolution, World War I, World War II, Medieval Wars in England, The Habsburg Empire, The War in Iraq, Scottish wars, The War of the Roses, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Cold War, The Thirty Years War, The Hundred Years War, The American Civil War, and many others.

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INTERVIEW: Nazi POWs in America: The Forgotten Camps with William Geroux

This episode of Why Wars Happened uncovers a forgotten chapter of World War II: the Nazi POWs held in the United States. Host dives into the shocking reality of over 370,000 German soldiers—equivalent to four entire armies—detained in camps across America. Historian and author William Geroux joins the discussion to explore his book, The Fifteen: Murder Retribution and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America, revealing how these prisoners lived under Geneva Convention rules, the unexpected ways they impacted local communities, and the Nazi influence that remained inside the camps. From laboring on farms to daring escapes and violent conflicts, this episode brings to light a hidden part of history.

If you’re fascinated by World War II, military history, or untold war stories, don’t miss this episode. Subscribe for more deep dives into the past!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Why Wars Happened

00:46 Introducing Today's Guest: William Geroux

01:07 Nazi POWs in America: An Overview

01:57 Life in American POW Camps

02:27 Geneva Convention and POW Treatment

03:35 Concerns and Criticisms of POW Treatment

11:19 Escaping POWs and Jim Crow Laws

15:22 German POWs in the US: A Valuable Labor Force

17:23 Farmers' Mixed Feelings About Nazi POWs

18:50 American Soldiers' Reactions to POW Treatment

19:46 Introducing Leon Jaworski: The Army Prosecutor

21:34 Researching the Hidden History of Nazi POW Camps

27:02 Nazi Ideology and Violence in POW Camps

29:19 Future Writing Projects and Closing Remarks

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