Who was the first Nation to use concentration camps during wartime.?

Question

I know the British used concentration camps during the Boer war. Were they the first.

Answer 1

You are correct about the Boer war being the first use of concentration camps. POW camps are a different story. (Although they can be just as bad sometimes).

The British used concentration camps against the Dutch Afrikaneers in order to cut the Dutch irregulars off from their support by putting thousands of civilians into camps. The camps turned into death camps and the blood of thousands of civilians was spilled.


edit:
Interesting. I looked it up on wikipedia and supposedly there is some debate among historians as to the correct answer to this question. Seems everyone here is right. Some Historians say Andersonvill POW camp during the American Civil War but others say the camps during the Boer war because those camps were for civilians and Andersonville was for POWs. The definition I found for internment camps did not include POWs but I guess it is up to you to define it for yourself.

Answer 2

Yes it was our allies the Brits who arrested the wives and children of Boer Fighters and put them in camps along with anyone else who spoke Afrikaans

Answer 3

The Romans used camps to house and hold persons that wear captured during there conquest. They kept barbarians in camps then they pick there young boys and trained them for the roman legions.
suro

Answer 4

thomas s is correct. they were first used during the civil war by both sides. it is estimated that well over 30.000 men died in these camps, so they were death camps. but on a smaller degree they were used in every war, since man started making war. there were always prisoners of war and they had to be kept all together, usually in one location. look at the people who were kept in the tower of London, and tortured, or the dungeons of mid evil France. they have been around since the dawn of time.

Answer 5

I don't know.....but I know who will never use concentration camps. Ron Paul.

Everyone Vote Ron Paul - he's a hero!

Answer 6

Camps were used for POWs in the American Civil War, but I don't know if that counts.

Answer 7

Germany

Answer 8

i think the americans in the civil war used it, because im pretty sure that concentration camp means a pow camp where they torture. look up camp dougles on google or somthing

Answer 9

Nope.civil war was the first.used by both sides.

Answer 10

Nazi Germany was the first nation to use concentration camps during wartime!!