This authoritative second edition provides a valuable overview of the history of prisoners of war and interned civilians, from the earliest times to the present. This edition offers new articles on Abu Ghraib Prison, the Angolan Civil War, the Iran-Iraq War, the Invasion of Tibet, the War on Terror, Guantanamo Detention Centre, and U.S. Senator John McCain along with an extensive update of existing articles.

With 350 entries, this edition is a full 30% larger than the previous edition. Written by an international team of experts, this fascinating and thought-provoking volume covers a wide range of topics and themes including famous POWs, concentration camps, the two world wars, the Crusades, and Indian warfare, along with medical conditions, international law, and exchanges of prisoners.

New features in this edition include Primary Source Documents from the Geneva Convention to the Presidential Signing Statement of the Torture Bill; Full-Color Maps; and a Historical Timeline placing the articles in chronological sequence. Plus, a detailed Bibliography and list of End of Entry Reading Suggestions are provided for easy reference.

This one-of-a-kind resource will be a helpful addition to the reference collections of all public libraries, high schools, and university libraries and will prove invaluable to historians and military enthusiasts.