Ping to the Dawg Pound for an amazing American story...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3165454/posts?page=59#59
Related, Medal of Honor citations for Adm. James Stockdale and Capt Lance Sijan (posthumous) for service as POWs:
http://www.mishalov.com/Stockdale.html
http://www.mishalov.com/Sijan.html
I had occasion to attend the USAF SERE school (Colorado campus) in June ‘71. There was one rule - “they” couldn’t do anything to “us” likely to cause permanent physical damage.
I learned one thing, in no uncertain terms:
Do. Not. Allow. Yourself. To. Be. Captured. By. Forces. Of. An. Oriental. Army.
Events subsequent to Feb. ‘73 revealed the wisdom of that position.