No, not all prisoners of war were criminals. History has shown that many people were forced into military service, often against their will, and were later declared prisoners of war. For example:
During World War II, millions of soldiers were captured by the enemy, including those who were forced to fight on one side or the other. Many of these prisoners were ordinary people who were drafted into the military or were conscripted by the authoritarian regimes that controlled their countries.
In the American Civil War, thousands of African Americans fought as prisoners of war after being captured by Union or Confederate forces. They were often forced to fight on the side of the enemy or were taken as prisoners.
During the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army and the Vietcong forced thousands of South Vietnamese soldiers to fight against the Americans and their allies. When these soldiers were captured, they were often seen as traitors by both sides, as they had fought against their own country.
The treatment of prisoners of war has often been brutal, with torture, forced labor, and other forms of mistreatment being common. However, it’s clear that not all prisoners of war were criminals in the classical sense. Many were simply ordinary people who were caught up in the conflict and were forced to fight against their will.