in wartime, the laws of armed conflict remain the direct
armed conflict, this does not give you license to do
anything you wish to do. There are limits on what you
concern of every serviceman.
can do when waging war, and those limits are
The principles behind the laws of armed conflict can
established by the laws of armed conflict. This chapter
be stated in the following question: How should you,
explains what you can and cannot do.
an individual Seabee, conduct yourself in wartime
operations to accomplish your mission while still
GENERAL PRECEPTS OF THE
respecting the rights of civilians, your enemies, and your
LAWS OF ARMED CONFLICT
allies? This chapter provides you with some basic
information on what to do and, just as important, what
When you enter into armed conflict in another
not to do in wartime situations.
country, you should be aware of many of the
characteristics of the country. Knowledge of these
WHY WE NEED LAWS IN WAR
characteristics will better prepare you to follow the
tenets of the laws of armed conflict.
Unfortunately, war is as old as man himself. People
cause wars; weapons do not. Man creates the weapons
Geography
that are merely the instruments that a nation uses to carry
out its war objectives. Genghis Khan, the ancient Asian
A general understanding of the geography of a
warlord, killed or maimed a greater percentage of people
nation will help you to know where the population of
than any other leader in history. He did it with bows and
the country is concentrated. That knowledge should
arrows and other similar primitive weapons. During
prepare you to deal with civilians and the enemy as you
Genghis Khan's era, there were no rules of war.
encounter them. In addition, you should know the
Although man continues today to be the force behind
general area of the country in which you are operating
the weapons, there exists now a certain orderliness to
and the nations that border it. This knowledge may help
which people of most countries who find themselves on
you in understanding any trends that may have an effect
a battlefield subscribe.
on carrying out the laws of anneal conflict. You should
know the capital city and the other major cities, the
The positive side of mankind has managed to
characteristics of the land (mountains, deserts, plains,
improve the conditions under which war is conducted
etc.), and the climate. Knowledge of all these features
since the era of Genghis Khan. As newer weapons of
will help you to deal with rules of war situations that
warfare have made it easier for man to kill his
might arise during your time in the country. You should
fellowman, nations have sensed a need to eliminate
receive information about the general characteristics of
unnecessary death, destruction, and suffering. This need
the geography of a nation as part of instructional
has been reflected in the moral values of civilized man
briefings given in operational deployments.
and also in his military policies.
Binding customs and formal laws of war, presented
People
in the Geneva conventions and The Hague regulations,
have evolved. They legally bind most nations to the
Knowledge of the people in a country can be
practices set down at Geneva and The Hague. The
invaluable to you in how to conduct yourself under the
United States has agreed to these rules. Any violation of
rules of war. Since nearly all offenses under the laws of
them is the same as a violation of the laws of the United
armed conflict involve people, the more you know about
States itself. The United States has led the world in
the civilian populace of a country and of your enemy,
adopting rules for its military forces. These rules
the better off you will be. Know their ethnic
recognize that enemies are also human beings and that
backgrounds, their language, the educational level of the
captured or detained people are entitled to retain their
people, the important cultural characteristics
fundamental rights as humans regardless of their past
(particularly if they are different than the culture of the
conduct or beliefs. Every Seabee has the duty, therefore,
United States), the religions of the country, and the
to know and obey the laws of armed conflict.
social customs of the people.
History shows that discipline and high morale led
Knowledge of the people is probably the most
our military forces to victory in battle after battle. These
important thing for you to know about the country.
same characteristics apply to obedience to the laws of
Without it, you cannot begin to understand the way the
armed conflict. Although you will be in uniform and be
people think and act. Accordingly, the chances of doing
an instrument of a nation state (the United States) in an
something in violation of the rules of war increase. If
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