In the field, most captives were regarded as prisoners of war, and while conditions were frequently appalling, prisoner exchanges and mail privileges were accepted practice.
戦場にあってはほとんどの捕虜が戦争捕虜として扱われるが、その待遇はしばしばぞっとするようなものだったので、捕虜交換や私信の発信特権が慣行となっていた。