Patterns of hero worship emerged,
and the guards became the heroes. The prisoners came to accept
their values including their German nationalism and
anti-Semitism. Some even altered their uniforms to resemble those
of the guards, and they slavishly followed orders beyond
necessity. Attempts at resistance were very rare, and, when the
liberating American forces arrived at the end of the war, they
were surprised that there was not some attempt at mass revenge.
In comparison, the African who became an American slave
underwent an experience which had some marked similarities to
those of the German concentration camp. He too underwent a kind
of shock procurement. Although millions of men became
slaves, the event was unique to each man. Usually, he had been
captured in the course of warfare which, in itself, was a
humiliation. After being chained together and marched to the
coast, his horror must have increased when he realized that he
was being sold to Europeans. It was widely believed by Africans
that white men were cannibals. At the coastal station, he also
had to endure the humiliation of a naked inspection by a
physician.
Pages:
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95