The tragic conditions at Andersonville prisoner of war camp during the Civil War were caused by several factors:
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Overcrowding: The camp was designed to hold about 10,000 prisoners but ended up housing over 30,000 at its peak. This extreme overcrowding led to inadequate shelter, insufficient sanitation, and a lack of personal space.
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Lack of Resources: The Confederacy faced shortages of food, medical supplies, and other essential resources due to the ongoing war. As a result, prisoners were severely malnourished, and there was little provision for medical care, which intensified the suffering and mortality rates.
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Poor Management: The command structure of the camp was plagued by inefficiency and mismanagement. The camp's leadership, particularly Captain Henry Wirz, struggled to manage the large number of prisoners effectively, and there was little support from the Confederate government to improve conditions.
These factors combined to create a dire humanitarian crisis, leading to an appalling death rate among the inmates.
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