Olympic Games in a Prison Camp: A Documentary

Author: Zhu Jiguang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-06-01
Features: This book is a historical work of a documentary nature, written by the author based on his personal experiences during the Korean War while serving as an educational officer in the Volunteer Army's prisoner-of-war management department, as well as through the collection and organization of firsthand materials. The book recounts an unprecedented Olympic Games held on the battlefield. It was not held within China but in neighboring North Korea; not in a time of peace but amidst the smoke of war; not by typical athletes but by war prisoners of 13 different nationalities and languages captured by both Chinese and North Korean forces. It was not authorized by the International Olympic Committee but organized by the Volunteer Army, following the principle of "inside and outside differences" as outlined in the Olympic Charter, allowing the prisoners to manage the event themselves! The competition included a wide range of events, with a total of 500 participants, its scale nearly rivaling that of previously officially held International Olympic Games! The Olympic flags of peace, unity, and progress were raised, and the Olympic melody of enduring friendship was still played! The format and rules of the games were completely modeled after the International Olympic Games. From hosting the event, organizing competitions, selecting referees to news reporting, photography, cultural performances, and other service tasks, the Volunteer Army fully entrusted the prisoners to arrange everything. It has written a powerful, spectacular, and moving epic of the R.H.O.P. (Recreational and Hobby Olympics) in the war prisoner camp, for both the history of human warfare and the history of the International Olympic Games.