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German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California
In 1943, the first great wave of Hitler's soldier's came to America, not as goose-stepping conquering heroes, but as prisoners of war. By the time World War II ended in 1945, more than six hundred German POW camps had sprung up across America holding a total of 371,683 POWs. One of these camps was established at the U.S. Army's training installation Camp Cooke on June 16, 1944.
The POW base camp at Cooke operated sixteen branch camps in six of California's fifty-eight counties and is today the site of Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. Compared to other prisoner of war camps in California, Camp Cooke generally held the largest number of German POWs and operated the most branch camps in the state.
A large number of the prisoners were from Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, as well as from other military formations. Under the terms of the Geneva Convention, the prisoners received comfortable quarters and excellent care. They filled critical wartime labor shortages inside the main Army post at Cooke and in the outlying civilian communities, performing agricultural work for which they were paid. On weekends and evenings, they enjoyed many recreational entertainment and educational opportunities available to them in the camp. For many POWs, the American experience helped reshape their worldview and gave them a profound appreciation of American democracy.
This book follows the military experiences of fourteen German soldiers who were captured during the campaigns in North Africa and Europe and then sat out the remainder of the war as POWs in California. It is a firsthand account of life as a POW at Camp Cooke and the lasting impression it had on the prisoners.
The POW base camp at Cooke operated sixteen branch camps in six of California's fifty-eight counties and is today the site of Vandenberg Air Force Base in Santa Barbara County. Compared to other prisoner of war camps in California, Camp Cooke generally held the largest number of German POWs and operated the most branch camps in the state.
A large number of the prisoners were from Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps, as well as from other military formations. Under the terms of the Geneva Convention, the prisoners received comfortable quarters and excellent care. They filled critical wartime labor shortages inside the main Army post at Cooke and in the outlying civilian communities, performing agricultural work for which they were paid. On weekends and evenings, they enjoyed many recreational entertainment and educational opportunities available to them in the camp. For many POWs, the American experience helped reshape their worldview and gave them a profound appreciation of American democracy.
This book follows the military experiences of fourteen German soldiers who were captured during the campaigns in North Africa and Europe and then sat out the remainder of the war as POWs in California. It is a firsthand account of life as a POW at Camp Cooke and the lasting impression it had on the prisoners.
282 pages, Paperback
Published April 17, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 17, 2018
We like history and we were not disappointed by German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California by Jeffrey E. Geiger.
This book tells the stories of several different German soldiers who were taken prisoner back in World War II.
Each soldier tells his own story in his own words. Some of the stories tell what their lives were like before the war. We read about their war service and where they were captured and how.
Each soldier tells how he was treated by his captors and how he came to be held at Camp Cooke. We learn what life was like while a prisoner and what happened to them after the war. Most wanted to return to the area controlled by the Americans. Those that went to the Russian-held area were worse off than before.
We hear about how soldiers that were returned to England were victimized and how all their money and possessions were stolen by the British soldiers.
Perhaps this book would have been better if each story was told from start to finish in one section. Instead, we read different parts of each prisoner's story along the way.
We think that German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California is excellent and give it all five stars. If you are a WWII buff, this is a must read.
We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.
We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
This book tells the stories of several different German soldiers who were taken prisoner back in World War II.
Each soldier tells his own story in his own words. Some of the stories tell what their lives were like before the war. We read about their war service and where they were captured and how.
Each soldier tells how he was treated by his captors and how he came to be held at Camp Cooke. We learn what life was like while a prisoner and what happened to them after the war. Most wanted to return to the area controlled by the Americans. Those that went to the Russian-held area were worse off than before.
We hear about how soldiers that were returned to England were victimized and how all their money and possessions were stolen by the British soldiers.
Perhaps this book would have been better if each story was told from start to finish in one section. Instead, we read different parts of each prisoner's story along the way.
We think that German Prisoners of War at Camp Cooke, California is excellent and give it all five stars. If you are a WWII buff, this is a must read.
We were sent a complimentary copy of this book. We are under no obligation to write any review, positive or negative.
We are disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.
August 18, 2022
I can never understand how a person can give a book a low rating and doesn't bother to give a review to explain why they bashed the author's work. That is certainly the case with one so-called reader of this book as of this posting.
Historian Jeffrey Geiger has done an outstanding job with this book. He interviewed 14 former German POWs about their experiences in the war and as a POW. He presents their accounts in a very organized manner alongside a narrative history that gives balance to both sides of the story. We get insights into the German army but most interesting to me was learning how the POW camps in America were organized and operated, and how the prisoners and their guards interacted.
Unlike American captives in enemy hands during WWII, America abided by the rules of the Geneva Convention and treated German and Japanese POWs humanely. In doing so, it planted the seeds of democracy in the minds of more than 371,000 German POWs held in America.
As the number of surviving WWII veterans continues to shrink, the accounts of these 14 POWs will continue to grow in importance. All of these men were grateful to out of harms way and safely in America. This book is worth every penny and more.
Historian Jeffrey Geiger has done an outstanding job with this book. He interviewed 14 former German POWs about their experiences in the war and as a POW. He presents their accounts in a very organized manner alongside a narrative history that gives balance to both sides of the story. We get insights into the German army but most interesting to me was learning how the POW camps in America were organized and operated, and how the prisoners and their guards interacted.
Unlike American captives in enemy hands during WWII, America abided by the rules of the Geneva Convention and treated German and Japanese POWs humanely. In doing so, it planted the seeds of democracy in the minds of more than 371,000 German POWs held in America.
As the number of surviving WWII veterans continues to shrink, the accounts of these 14 POWs will continue to grow in importance. All of these men were grateful to out of harms way and safely in America. This book is worth every penny and more.
May 21, 2018
Excellent book! Gives firsthand accounts by fourteen former POWs and integrates their experiences with the author's own research to give a broader, seamless narrative history.
November 16, 2018
A good, in depth look at German Prisoners of War in the United States. Sometimes the lists bogged the book down. But it was a good read.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews