What is the disease beriberi in ww2?

December 26, 2025 •

4 min read

Beriberi, a crippling disease caused by a severe thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency, was a devastating reality for thousands of soldiers and prisoners of war (POWs) during World War II. The harsh conditions and inadequate rations, especially in the Pacific and Southeast Asian theaters, created a fertile ground for this nutritional disorder to flourish and claim countless lives.

Quick Summary

A thiamine deficiency ravaged soldiers and prisoners during World War II, fueled by a poor diet consisting primarily of polished rice. The disease, known as beriberi, manifested in wet and dry forms affecting the cardiovascular and nervous systems, leading to extreme weakness, heart failure, or paralysis.

Key Points

Cause: Beriberi in WW2 was caused by a severe deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1), primarily due to a diet heavily reliant on polished white rice.
Prevalence: The disease was particularly widespread among Allied prisoners of war (POWs) in Japanese-controlled camps in the Pacific theater, where malnutrition was endemic.
Symptoms: Symptoms depended on the type of beriberi; wet beriberi affected the heart and circulatory system, while dry beriberi impacted the nervous system, leading to weakness and paralysis.
Lack of Treatment: Due to the severe conditions, medical supplies were scarce, and effective treatment with thiamine supplements was rarely possible, contributing to high mortality rates.
Long-term Consequences: Survivors often faced permanent damage to their hearts and nervous systems, including memory loss (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome) and chronic cardiomyopathy.
Affected Beyond POWs: While most prominent among POWs, Japanese soldiers also suffered from beriberi, highlighting the widespread nature of the nutritional issue in the theater.
Preventable Tragedy: Beriberi was a preventable disease, and its prevalence underscores the devastating impact of forced starvation and inhumane living conditions during the war.

The Silent Epidemic: Beriberi's Impact on WW2

Beriberi, which translates to "I can't, I can't" from the Sinhalese language, vividly described the extreme weakness and incapacitation it inflicted upon its victims. During World War II, it was particularly virulent in the Pacific theater, where it struck down Allied prisoners held by the Japanese and even Japanese soldiers themselves. The disease was not a new medical mystery, but its re-emergence on a massive scale highlighted the devastating consequences of extreme deprivation.

Origins of the Wartime Deficiency

The primary culprit behind the beriberi epidemic was the thiamine-deficient diet consumed by soldiers and POWs. Thiamine is a vital B vitamin necessary for carbohydrate metabolism and nerve function. In wartime, this essential nutrient was in short supply due to:

Reliance on Polished Rice: The staple diet, especially in Japanese POW camps, was polished white rice. The process of polishing removes the outer husk, which is rich in thiamine, effectively stripping the grain of its nutritional value.
Lack of Food Variety: Rations were sparse and lacked diversity, providing almost no alternative sources of thiamine, such as whole grains, pork, or legumes.
Exacerbating Factors: Compounding the issue were common wartime illnesses like chronic diarrhea and dysentery, which further hampered the body's ability to absorb and retain what little thiamine was available.

The Two Faces of Beriberi

Beriberi manifested in two primary forms, often overlapping, each with its own set of debilitating symptoms that attacked different parts of the body.

Wet Beriberi

Cardiovascular Impact: This form primarily affected the heart and circulatory system.
Symptoms: Patients experienced swelling (edema) in their lower legs and feet, shortness of breath, a rapid heart rate, and an enlarged heart.
Deadly Consequences: Wet beriberi could lead to acute heart failure and death within days if left untreated, making it a critical and life-threatening condition.

Dry Beriberi

Nervous System Impact: This type of beriberi targeted the nervous system.
Symptoms: Signs included muscle pain, weakness, nerve damage causing a tingling or numb sensation in the hands and feet, difficulty walking, and eventually, partial paralysis.
Neurological Complications: Prolonged dry beriberi could progress to Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a serious brain disorder characterized by confusion, memory loss, and a tendency to make up stories (confabulation).

The Futility of Wartime Medical Aid

Medical aid in many POW camps was virtually nonexistent. Doctors often lacked the necessary equipment and medicines to combat the disease effectively. Some resourceful medics attempted to create crude thiamine-rich extracts by boiling rice husks, but these were largely insufficient. The psychological toll was immense, as doctors were forced to witness widespread suffering with little to no means of intervention.

Comparing the Experience: European vs. Pacific Theaters


Feature	Pacific Theater	European Theater
Dietary Conditions	Dominated by polished rice; severe calorie restriction; lack of thiamine-rich foods.	Generally more varied diets, with access to some supplements from the Red Cross, though still challenging.
Beriberi Prevalence	Extremely high, with some camps reporting nearly 100% of prisoners suffering from some form of deficiency.	Significantly lower due to access to more varied food sources and aid.
Captors' Medical Stance	A tragic combination of poor logistics and denial of Western medical findings by some Japanese military medical officials contributed to the crisis.	Medical care was limited but generally better organized, with some adherence to international conventions, though conditions varied widely.
Long-Term Disability	Much higher rates of service-connected disability among survivors, reflecting the irreversible damage caused by malnutrition.	Lower rates of severe, long-term disability directly linked to nutritional deficiencies.

The Enduring Legacy of Beriberi

For many who survived WW2, beriberi's effects were not a passing ailment but a lifelong burden. Permanent nerve damage and chronic heart conditions plagued many veterans of the Pacific theater. These long-term health issues highlight that the true human cost of the war extended far beyond the immediate casualties of battle. The suffering caused by beriberi served as a grim testament to the importance of nutrition and a powerful indictment of the inhumane conditions faced by those in captivity.

Conclusion

Beriberi's deadly sweep through World War II camps and battlefields was a direct result of chronic thiamine deficiency, exacerbated by cruel living conditions and inadequate medical care. The disease, with its devastating effects on the nervous and cardiovascular systems, stands as a haunting chapter in military history and a testament to the brutal toll of war on the human body. Its legacy serves as a somber reminder of the thousands of lives cut short or forever altered by malnutrition during one of history's darkest conflicts.

For further reading on the medical and historical aspects of World War II prisoners, authoritative resources like the National WWII Museum offer valuable insights and information.

Frequently Asked Questions

The diet provided to prisoners of war (POWs) during WW2, especially in Japanese-run camps, was heavily based on polished white rice. The milling process of polished rice removes the husk and germ, which are the main sources of thiamine (vitamin B1), leading to a severe deficiency over time.

Survival was often a matter of luck, personal resilience, and ingenuity. Some POWs, particularly in the later stages of the war, tried to supplement their diets by catching insects, frogs, or anything available, though this was often insufficient. Camp doctors also improvised crude vitamin supplements from boiled rice husks or other natural sources, but these efforts were largely ineffectual against a systemic deficiency.

Wet beriberi primarily affects the cardiovascular system, causing fluid buildup (edema), rapid heartbeat, and eventually heart failure. Dry beriberi affects the nervous system, leading to nerve damage, muscle weakness, and, in severe cases, paralysis.

Yes, Japanese soldiers also suffered significantly from beriberi. Despite Japanese military doctors understanding the cause of the disease from research in the late 19th century, a refusal to change dietary practices due to logistical issues and outdated medical factionalism led to many casualties.

For those who survived, the long-term effects included permanent nerve damage, lingering cognitive issues such as memory loss and confusion (Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome), and chronic cardiovascular problems, including congestive cardiomyopathy.

Yes, beriberi is an entirely preventable disease. Had POWs and soldiers received a varied and balanced diet that included thiamine-rich foods like whole grains, legumes, and lean meat, or fortified rations, the epidemic could have been averted. A shift from polished to unpolished rice alone would have made a significant difference.

While the disease was widespread among POWs in the Pacific, its prevalence and severity varied. POWs held by Japanese forces had the highest rates due to extreme malnutrition, whereas those held by German forces generally experienced lower rates because of more varied rations, sometimes supplemented by Red Cross parcels.