The Enemy in Our Hands: America's Treatment of Enemy Prisoners of War from the Revolution to the War on Terror Capa dura - 2010

Winston Churchill once remarked, "A prisoner of war is a man who tries to kill you and fails, and then asks you not to kill him."

Discovery and exposure of the U.S. military's inhumane treatment of detainees at Baghdad's Abu Ghraib prison and the Guantnamo Bay detention camp generated a media frenzy that many argue irrevocably damaged America's reputation as a world leader. Worldwide scrutiny of the photos and descriptions of the abuse of enemy prisoners of war, or EPWs, from the war on terror incited allegations of human rights violations and possible war crimes and left many wondering whether the mistreatment of these prisoners was an isolated set of circumstances or, conversely, one example among many of atrocities rooted in our nation's history.

Drawing from diverse primary sources, military historian Robert C. Doyle illuminates America's prisoner of war policies from the founding era to the present. A work of history with direct relevance to contemporary events, The Enemy in Our Hands: America's Treatment of Prisoners of War from the Revolution to the War on Terror examines every major war and conflict, from the American Revolution through the Civil War, both world wars, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, to provide a comprehensive understanding of American treatment of EPWs.

Doyle offers a nuanced interpretation of American military history, suggesting that the treatment of EPWs in each conflict was a unique reflection of the prevailing political attitudes of the day. The military's incarceration practices with prisoners, particularly its methods used for interrogation, have evolved dramatically since the prisoner exchanges of the American Revolution. Using graphic details of the experiences of captured enemy combatants and civilians, The Enemy in Our Hands explores each war's adherence to international standards of conduct, including the 1929 Geneva Convention.

The Enemy in Our Hands is a complete cultural analysis of a complicated issue the nation has struggled with since its inception. As the context of modern warfare continues to be shaped by current events, it is incumbent upon America to consider its treatment of EPWs and how that treatment defines national character.

Robert C. Doyle, professor of history at the Franciscan University of Steubenville, is the author of A Prisoner's Duty: Great Escapes in U.S. Military History and Voices from Captivity: Interpreting the American POW Narrative. He has been a historical consultant on multiple films and documentaries, including Hart's War (2002).