“MY RESPONSIBILITIES“ U.S. ARMY CODE OF CONDUCT IN CAPTIVITY COLD WAR PRISON CAMP 30764

Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference. Consider becoming a channel member One of a series of films made by the U.S. Army to educate recruits about the Code of Conduct, this film discusses the duty of soldiers who are taken prisoner, and the responsibility to only offer “name, rank and serial number“ to the enemy. Produced in 1959 during the Cold War, the film seems to show an Eastern European prison camp complete with a Colonel Klink like commandant. Main titles (:06-:56). Enemy officers interrogate an American corporal named Paul Banks. The corporal slowly offers his name, rank and serial number to his interrogator, who threatens him (:57-2:10). The corporal is forced to remove his clothes and shivers as he is yelled at. He sits and doesn’t say a word. Now, a second scenario (2:53). A PFC named Joe Campbell sits and smokes a cigarette as the interrogator stands over him. The interrogator asks him to sign a confession or renunciation (2:11-4:11). The PFC won’t sign. He questions the signatures of other men in his outfit on the confession, but apparently he’s unknowingly taken the interrogator’s bait. (5:02) Enemy soldiers grab PFC Campbell who’s sleeping out of the prison barracks, shining flashlights in his face. Three of the other American prisoners talk in the tight quarters (4:12-5:50). PFC Campbell is asked by interrogators to speak into a microphone. The PFC will not admit to killing a civilian but he has been tricked -- the paper he signed earlier makes it appear that he is a confessed war criminal. He is told he must speak into the microphone of a tape recorder and make a confession, or never go home (5:5-7:13). The PFC speaks a propaganda statement into the microphone as his interrogator watches. He flips out and attacks the ¼ tape recorder and is restrained by guards. Later, he is shown in the barracks. He’s been badly beaten up. The prisoners discuss how they treat collaborators (7:14-9:18). One of the Americans rests and thinks about the three ways out: under, through or over the wire (9:19-10:11). The injured American is heard moaning as the Corporal goes to sleep. End credits (10:12-10:17). We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: “01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference.“ This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit
Back to Top