McCain has said, I think in writing and verbally, that he "broke" at one point. Had he not, odds are very good he'd have died in N. Viet.. Frankly, I do not think anyone could endure that for 5 plus years and not "break" or die.
At some point, he decided to live, I hardly call that "collaberation". BTW, I because of an illness, subjected to some medical tests that were exceptionally painful and included running electrical current thru my body. Had this been done as torture, I would have broken too. As it was, I simply told the MD to stop. When he suggested a few more "jolts", I offered to do two for every one he'd subject himself to. He laughed, removed the testing equipment, and never mentioned it again.
Everyone has a point at which they will break. I am inpressed he lasted as long as he did and VERY impressed that he stayed when offered freedom at the expense of his fellow prisoners.
HOWEVER, today, I have very sincere prob lems with some of his policies. On the otherhand, he is a shining star compared with Obama.