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This electronic representation of RAND intellectual property is provided for non-commercial use only. Unauthorized posting of RAND electronic documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND electronic documents are protected under copyright law. Permission is required from RAND to reproduce, or reuse in another form, any of our research documents for commercial use. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please see RAND Permissions. This product is part of the RAND Corporation monograph series. RAND monographs present major research findings that address the challenges facing the public and private sectors. All RAND mono- graphs undergo rigorous peer review to ensure high standards for research quality and objectivity. The Battle Behind the Wire U.S. Prisoner and Detainee Operations from World War II to Iraq Cheryl Benard, Edward O’Connell, Cathryn Quantic Thurston, Andres Villamizar, Elvira N. Loredo, Thomas Sullivan, Jeremiah Goulka Prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense Approved for public release; distribution unlimited NATIONAL DEFENSE RESEARCH INSTITUTE The research described in this report was prepared for the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD). The research was conducted within the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by OSD, the Joint Staff, the Unified Combatant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community under Contract W74V8H-06-C-0002. Library of Congress Control Number: 2010942311 ISBN: 978-0-8330-5045-8 The RAND Corporation is a nonprofit institution that helps improve policy and decisionmaking through research and analysis. RAND’s publications do not necessarily reflect the opinions of its research clients and sponsors. R® is a registered trademark. © Copyright 2011 RAND Corporation Permission is given to duplicate this document for personal use only, as long as it is unaltered and complete. Copies may not be duplicated for commercial purposes. Unauthorized posting of RAND documents to a non-RAND website is prohibited. RAND documents are protected under copyright law. For information on reprint and linking permissions, please visit the RAND permissions page (http://www.rand.org/publications/ permissions.html). Published 2011 by the RAND Corporation 1776 Main Street, P.O. Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138 1200 South Hayes Street, Arlington, VA 22202-5050 4570 Fifth Avenue, Suite 600, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2665 RAND URL: http://www.rand.org To order RAND documents or to obtain additional information, contact Distribution Services: Telephone: (310) 451-7002; Fax: (310) 451-6915; Email: [email protected] Preface In major conflicts dating to World War II and continuing through recent operations in Iraq, U.S. forces have taken a large number of prisoners or detainees. Although prisoner of war (POW) and detainee operations ultimately tend to become quite extensive, military planners and policymakers have repeatedly treated such operations as an after- thought. In reality, such operations can be a central part of the suc- cessful prosecution of a conflict. Determining how to gain knowledge from, hold, question, influence, and release captured adversaries can be an important component of military strategy and doctrine, both during the conflict and in reconstruction afterward. This publication presents a historical analysis of POW opera- tions during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, as well as detailed analyses of detainee operations during the recent conflict in Iraq. It should be of interest to military planners, strate- gists, and policymakers concerned with ongoing and future prisoner and detainee operations. This research was sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and conducted within the International Security and Defense Policy Center of the RAND National Defense Research Institute, a federally funded research and development center sponsored by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, the Joint Staff, the Unified Com- batant Commands, the Navy, the Marine Corps, the defense agencies, and the defense Intelligence Community. iii iv The Battle Behind the Wire For more information on the RAND International Security and Defense Policy Center, see http://www.rand.org/nsrd/ndri/centers/ isdp.html or contact the director (contact information is provided on the web page). Contents Preface ............................................................................. iii Figures ............................................................................. ix Tables .............................................................................. xi Summary .........................................................................xiii Acknowledgments .............................................................. xxi Abbreviations .................................................................. xxiii CHAPTER ONE The Recurring Importance of Prisoner and Detainee Operations ...... 1 CHAPTER TWO U.S. Programs for German Prisoners in World War II .................... 5 Arrival and Administration ....................................................... 6 Delays in Disaggregating the Prisoner Population ............................. 8 Reeducation Programs ............................................................. 9 Conclusions ........................................................................15 CHAPTER THREE Korean War Prisoner Programs ...............................................17 Establishment of Prisoner Camps in Korea ...................................18 Initial Education Programs ..................................................... 20 Polarization Among Prisoners ...................................................25 Initial Repatriation Phase ....................................................... 28 Final Repatriation Phase ........................................................ 30 Conclusions ........................................................................31 v vi The Battle Behind the Wire CHAPTER FOUR Prisoner and Detainee Operations in Vietnam ............................33 Categorization of Prisoners of War and Detainees ........................... 34 Application of the Geneva Conventions and Detention of Insurgents .....35 The Enemy Prisoner of War Program .......................................... 38 Detainee Operations ............................................................. 40 Phung Hoang: Targeting the Infrastructure .................................41 Chieu Hoi: Using Defection Programs in a Counterinsurgency ......... 43 Motivation and Morale ...........................................................45 Conclusions ........................................................................47 CHAPTER FIVE Detainee Operations in Iraq ...................................................49 Legal and Doctrinal Issues Associated with the Iraq Experience............51 A Rocky Start for Detainee Operations in Iraq ...............................53 The Post–Abu Ghraib Operating Environment ...............................55 A Burgeoning Strategy for Detainee Operations ...........................57 Keeping Pace with Increasing Numbers of Detainees ......................58 Classifying and Adjudicating Detainees .....................................59 Counterinsurgency Behind the Wire .........................................62 Disconnect Between Operational Reality and Official Policy .............65 Violence Flares Again ......................................................... 66 Innovations Under a New Commander ....................................... 68 Irreconcilables ...................................................................70 Strategies for Reintegration, Reconciliation, and Counterradicalization .....................................................71 From Strategic Risk to Strategic Advantage .................................73 Special Populations ...............................................................75 Detainee Motivation and Morale .............................................. 77 Task Force 134 Transition-In Survey .........................................78 Transition-In Survey Conclusions ............................................79 Summarizing Changes in Detainee Operations ...............................79 CHAPTER SIX Conclusions and Recommendations .........................................83 Basic Elements of Detention Operations ...................................... 84 Contents vii Basic Care and Custody of Detainees ....................................... 84 Planning for Special