From the beginning of time there have been wars and people taken as captives as a result of these wars. In ancient times and early modern history, many of these captives were simply called and used as slaves.

Readers are introduced to the subject of prisoners of war with an overview of terms common to all prisoners of war and a review of the treatment of captives in ancient and early history. Moving through the history of prisoners from the American Revolution through to the current War on Terror, the text discusses how prisoners were captured; the housing, medical care, food, and sanitary conditions under which they were held; the tortures or other cruelties inflicted upon them; the escapes-both successful and not-that some captives made or attempted; and the releases and terms under which they were released.

Those interested in the human side of war will find this an interesting and informative read as it focuses on the prisoners and discusses the wars only to the extent necessary to cover the prisoners of war.