ABSTRACT
One reason for the lack of attention is that the number of American victims— probably a few thousand—was relatively small when compared to the total number that perished. Another is the perception of the Holocaust as a European phenomenon; most people assume Americans could not become victims. The US government has had good reason to cover up the story of what happened during World War II, because revealing that Americans were mistreated would raise new questions about what this country did to rescue the targets of the Nazis. Americans who became victims fall into two general categories: civilians and soldiers. Neither had to be Jewish, though the victimization is clearer for those who were. American soldiers were also deserted by their government. These victims expected to be treated according to international conventions on prisoners of war and were not—but their government did nothing to help them. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
