Tag Archives: Japanese prisoners

this day in the yesteryear: Cowra Breakout: One of the Biggest Escapes in History (1944)


Cowra Breakout: One of the Biggest Escapes in History (1944)

During World War II, Japanese prisoners of war at a camp near Cowra, Australia, orchestrated one of the largest prison escapes of the war. Armed only with makeshift weapons, hundreds of Japanese prisoners stormed the machine gun posts and overwhelmed the guards. Some prisoners, rather than escaping, attempted or committed suicide, or were killed by fellow soldiers. The breakout resulted in the deaths of four Australian soldiers and 231 Japanese prisoners. How many managed to escape? More… Discuss