German POWs
Though “all’s fair in love and war,” nations generally agree on a standard of treatment for prisoners of war, as laid down in the Geneva Convention and later Protocols. However, during World War II, this was not the case. Depending on where and by whom you were captured, you could expect wildly different treatment. The Germans and Japanese especially were known for their cruelty. Here, German POWs huddle together in Nonant-le-Pin, France, in August of 1944.
German POWs
Germany’s Railway Gun
No, this isn’t something out of a sci-fi movie. The Schwerer Gustav railway artillery gun, designed to obliterate France’s forts along the Maginot Line, weighted a massive 1,350 tons and could fire at targets over 29 miles away. Reloading, however, took up to thirty minutes.
Germanys Railway Gun
