The Geneva Convention created a body of International Law that governed the care and treatment of prisoners of war held by an enemy country. Although not strictly followed, it did have a great influence on the treatment of American prisoners of war captured by Germany. Certainly it was far better than the barbaric treatment received by prisoners in Japan.
England believed that the way to win the war was by area bombing of German cities with military targets. They were convinced that by this approacy not only would thay destroy Germany's ability to make war but also break the morale of the German people that would force Hitler's Nazi government to capitulate. The US Air Force on the other hand believed in stratigic bombing of specific military targets. The Americal approach resulted in fewer civilian casualties; however, in spite of their care, large numbers of civilians in target areas were killed.
Hitler, the architect of 'terror bombing", frustrated over the bombing of Germany's cities branded Allied airmen as "Luftgangsters and demanded retaliation against the flyers. He said, "Terror can be broken only with terror" and encouraged the Germans to kill American flyers. Some German civilians heeded his demands and beat captured airmen to death and strung them up from lampposts. Farmers plunged pitchforks into them. Hitler demanded that German police not interfere with the mistreatmen of downed airmen and went so far as to threaten German civilians who aided flyers with punishment.
In March 1945, Hitler demanded of SS Lt. Gen. Dr. Kaltenbrunner, Chief of Security Police, "I hereby order that all bomber crews who bailed out in the last few months, as well as all bomber crews bailing out in the future, are to be turned over immediately by the Air Force to the SE, and are to be liquidated by the SD. Anyone failing to carry out my orders , or taking action against the population is liable to the death penalty and is to be shot." (A Domain of Heroes, pps. 16-20)
There are a number of documented cases of severe brutality.
The Geneva Convention created a body of International Law that governed the care and treatment of prisoners of war held by an enemy country. Although not strictly followed, it did have a great influence on the treatment of American prisoners of war captured by Germany. Certainly it was far better than the barbaric treatment received by prisoners in Japan.