Louis Zamperini Captivity

788 Words2 Pages

Louis Zamperini's experience of surviving the horrors of captivity provides important perspectives on the limits of human endurance and the moral challenges. Horrific details are displayed that show the hideous truth of Zamperini's imprisonment. In this book, Zamperini's tragedy ties in with challenging questions of fairness and accountability. Also, the questions ask about the roles played by those in charge of Zamperini's and the other prisoners' abuse, and the best way to hold people accountable for their actions during the captivity. Throughout the book, we get a further explanation of the difficulties involved in seeking fairness in these camps by answering these questions: What do you find most horrifying about Louis Zamperini's captivity? …show more content…

To start, I believe that the most horrific aspects of Louis Zamperini's captivity were the awful conditions he lived in and the cruel treatment he received in the camps from the guards. During World War II, the Japanese captured American pilot Louis Zamperini and took him to prisoner camps. Zamperini experienced very difficult situations that he had to encounter in numerous camps. Hillenbrand narrates Zamperini’s horrifying experiences, stating that, “The heat was smothering. Lice hopped over the captives’ skin. Mosquitoes preyed on them in swarms so thick that when Louie snapped his fingers into a fist, then opened his hand, his entire palm was crimson. His diarrhea worsened, becoming bloody” (Hillenbrand 180). These tough conditions, along with Zamperini's declining health as a result of bloody diarrhea, highlight the terrible reality that POWs must fight through. All of these factors increased Zamperini's suffering beyond any human could ever tolerate. Furthermore, Zamperini's captors' brutal treatment of him made his pain even worse. The Japanese guards mistreated Zamperini physically and …show more content…

Should the guards be held responsible? I believe that the prison guards and the main leaders who run the camps, such as Mutsuhiro Watanabe, are responsible for the treatment of the prisoners. People like Watanabe, who handled the treatment of prisoners such as Zamperini, held the majority of the influence for the treatment of the leaders of the prisoner-of-war camps. Their leadership set the tone for the overall atmosphere within the camps, shaping the experiences of the prisoners under their control. Clear evidence showing Watanabe’s unreasonable treatment is when he forced Louis Zamperini to hold a heavy wood plank above his head for a very long time while he was just laughing and sitting there. The task that was handed to Louis Zamperini, that was given to him by Watanabe, was very inhuman and very brutal. This really showed their responsibility for Zamperini and the other prisoners' suffering. Additionally, to make conditions worse for the already miserable inmates, the camp guards were also involved in the abuse of the captives, so they should definitely be held responsible for the prisoners' treatment. The guards in the prisoner-of-war camps were important in causing lots of harm to the prisoners. They frequently used violence and intimidation to keep the prisoners under control. Hillenbrand shows this as she narrates, “Punctuating the passage of each

Open Document