1952 POW olympics

The 1952 POW "olympics" were held November 1952 in Pyuktong, North Korea. This was an event put on by the North Korean Army with the help of Chinese volunteers. They put these games on to show that prisoners of war were treated with respect and care. This may have been a propaganda effort, but this was a great morale boost for the prisoners of war involved. The event was not sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee.

More than 500 athletes representing prisoners from South Korea, Turkey, Great Britain, Australia, and United States of America were represented in these games. The games held opening ceremonies on November 15, 1952, which was a copy of the official Olympic ceremony. The athletes marched in with flags representing their camps. There was a torch lighting ceremony, the torch bearer was Willis Stone Jr. from the United States.

The POWs who participated in these olympics were in good shape and put on a good show. The events that the prisoners participated in were: basketball, boxing, football, gymnastics, soccer, track & field, and tug of war. They had an olympic committee as well as awards for the top three finishing camps. These events portrayed the strength and endurance that the prisoners had. These events are often thought to have taken place because of the controversial treatment of the POWs.

The olympics gave the prisoners a chance to see their fellow soldiers and mingle while playing various sports and show that they were in good shape at the same time. With the soldier's cooperation in this event, it may have portrayed the image that everything was fine in the POW camps. Many accounts of the survivors mention that this may have been the only time they could go and see other camps, possibly to find their comrades, and that is why they went along with it.

References

• Adams, Clarence. "An American Dream: The Life of an African American Soldier and POW Who Spent Twelve Years in Communist China." Univ of Massachusetts Press, 2007, p. 62.[1]

See also

• Prisoner of war