I’ve heard similar things to the Ambrose story. Had an uncle who was invalided home from the ETO after the Bulge get assigned to the Camp Robinson POW camp. As an NCO his job was to circulate among the outlying camps and farms to spot check POW laborers. It was pretty relaxed and he has photos of POWs working unguarded in forestry, harvesting, and other outdoor occupations.
I tend to think being an EPW/POW post TDM will be a bad day. As others have stated, civilian mobs will want blood, and POWs will be an accessible target. I don’t see guard forces signing up for mass extermination in most cases, but neglect would be just as lethal.
My reference is the Union and Confederate camps during the Civil War. Reading about Libby Prison or Camp Douglas it seems like basic neglect rather than any systemic extermination was responsible for cutting a fairly substantial swathe through prisoner ranks.
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