This point was argued by defendants before the Nuremburg International Military Tribunal 1945-46, which rules, in a nutshell, that the Geneva Protocols on treatment of prisoners of war mean what they say. If they mean what they say, then why were tens of thousands of German POWs illegally used for mine-clearing work in France, with the approval of the UK and US? I am sure an excuse can be found. An English-translation article on this Allied violation of the Geneva Conventions is at the Spiegel site. _title_: Surviving German POWs seek Compensation.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,574180,00.html ES