The aim of this lesson is to investigate how Britain treated German and Italian prisoners of war during the Second World War and evaluate whether their experiences were fair, humane or harsh.

Students begin by considering their existing knowledge of prisoner treatment during the Second World War, particularly the brutal experiences of Allied prisoners under Nazi Germany and Japan.

They are then challenged to question whether all prisoners of war experienced the same treatment and whether Britain had a responsibility to treat captured enemies differently.

Through a series of engaging discussion scenarios, students explore the experiences of German and Italian prisoners captured during the war and sent to Britain. They investigate the challenges faced by the British Government in managing thousands of enemy prisoners while also considering the practical and moral issues surrounding their treatment.

Using contemporary evidence, including Pathé news footage, photographs and historical accounts, students analyse how prisoners were presented to the British public and examine claims that they were treated fairly, provided with food and allowed to live in relatively good conditions.

Students then complete a detailed case study of Eden Camp in Yorkshire, a former prisoner of war camp, to investigate the reality of life for prisoners held in Britain. They evaluate evidence to decide whether the treatment of prisoners was good, fair or bad and reach a supported judgement on the key enquiry question.

The lesson provides an excellent opportunity for students to explore the complexities of war, moving beyond simple ideas of “enemy” and “friend” to consider the importance of human rights, fairness and morality during conflict.

This lesson develops students’ skills in historical enquiry, source analysis, interpretation, evaluation and judgement.

An enquiry question is introduced at the start of the lesson and revisited throughout, enabling students to track their progress and develop a deeper understanding of the experiences of prisoners of war during the Second World War.

Fully planned and ready to teach, this lesson develops historical enquiry, source analysis, interpretation, evaluation and retrieval skills.

Included in this lesson:
Fully editable PowerPoint
Discussion and ethical dilemma scenarios
Pathé news footage and historical sources
German and Italian prisoner case studies
Eden Camp prisoner of war investigation
Source analysis and evaluation tasks
Enquiry-based judgement activity
Retrieval practice
Differentiated resources and suggested teaching strategies

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