History UsefulNotes / TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar

Although the example points out the dum dum rounds as the specific example, the laws of war generally state that the user of altered projectiles is not permitted, including the use of glass projectiles.

These bullets, which expand in a person's body, are prohibited in formal warfare, but allowed in domestic law enforcement and actually required in some jurisdictions for hunting. Their downsides are that they have poor performance against armor and barriers as well as sometimes not expanding correctly. In addition, automatic or semi-automatic weapons capable of reliably feeding hollowpoints are a relatively recent invention. Their upsides is their relatively low chance of over-penetration (and hitting something [[AccidentalMurder BEHIND]] your target) and of course increased stopping effectiveness.

*** With the gear off, they're ordered to sing the Star Spangled Banner. Because, hey, it shows just how detrimental the chemicals are.

Only those who actually fight are combatants. [[WouldNotShootACivilian Civilians are not legitimate targets]]. Furthermore, combatants who have laid down their arms or become ''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown hors de combat]]'' must be treated humanely. However, should a combatant deliberately disguise themselves as a noncombatant or attempt to hide among noncombatants, they become categorized as Unlawful Combatants and the situation becomes much less pleasant.

It is a war crime to state that soldiers cannot surrender or not to take prisoners.

Once taken to a camp (these have to be designated in a way that aircraft can see them and should be well away from the front line), prisoners are to be well treated. They are allowed to write letters home and receive them, the Red Cross can send them parcels with food and religious freedom is allowed. You also are allowed pay in line with your rank. In addition, prisoners that attempt to escape are merely fulfilling their roles as prisoners: if they escape, it's because the prison was poorly designed, and if they don't, they are still prisoners, and therefore still protected.

Once taken to a camp (these have to be designated in a way that aircraft can see them and should be well away from the front line), prisoners are to be well treated. They are allowed to write letters home and receive them, the Red Cross can send them parcels with food and religious freedom is allowed. You also are allowed pay in line with your rank.

War is hell, but there are some things you just don't do. Many things are allowed as ruses, even the aforementioned FalseFlagOperations, but even in war, this doesn't fly. Certain symbols are completely OFF LIMITS unless you're using them legitimately. These ''especially'' include the Red Cross/Crescent/Crystal and the UN logo. Note that if the UN is running a military operation (e.g. TheKoreanWar), you're allowed to use their logo on your tank ... it's when the UN doesn't give you permission and you use it that you're running afoul of Article 38.

There might be a clear winner or loser at the end of an armistice; what matters is that the sides have ''only'' agreed to stop fighting until further notice. Generally speaking, an armistice is when the war has ''clearly'' ended. Usually, [[PeaceConference peace talks]] and a peace treaty immediately follow but the term "peace treaty" is something of a misnomer: a peace treaty is actually about restoring (or establishing) diplomatic recognition and ties, as well as settling at least some of the disputes that led to the war in the first place (generally in the victor's favor).

Once the other side captures you, they are allowed to search you and restrain you. They can confiscate your horses (these are still used in Pakistan), weaponry and any military documents.

The only things that you are obliged to tell the people capturing you are your name, rank, serial (or service) number and date of birth. The US permits provision of relevant health and welfare information too. Telling them more will probably result in a court-martial if and when you get home.

Once taken to a camp (these have to be designated in a way that aircraft can see them and should be well away from the front line), prisoners are to be well treated. They are allowed to write letters home and receive them, the Red Cross can send them parcels with food in, and religious freedom is allowed. You also are allowed pay in line with your rank, but also salute your higher-ranked captors and the camp commandant.

The only things that you are obliged to tell the people capturing you are your name, rank, serial (or service) number and age. The US permits provision of relevant health and welfare information too. Telling them more will probably result in a court-martial if and when you get home.

There are several quasi military jobs that were taken into uniformed services to give protection under the Geneva convention to those workers. Otherwise they were unlawful combatants and possibly spies. The Public Health and NOAA Corps are American examples of battlefield surverors and ambulence personal put in a uniform to give them protection on a battlefield.

War is hell, but there are some things you just don't do. Many things are allowed as ruses, even the aforementioned false flag operations, but even in war, this doesn't fly. Certain symbols are completely OFF LIMITS unless you're using them legitimately. These ''especially'' include the Red Cross/Crescent/Crystal and the UN logo. Note that if the UN is running a military operation (e.g. TheKoreanWar), you're allowed to use their logo on your tank ... it's when the UN doesn't give you permission and you use it that you're running afoul of Article 38.

* However, as Lawful Combatants can still be tried for any criminal offences they commit in the execution of their duty (rape, theft ect) if they use uniforms other than their own to gather intelligence/spread despondency or falsehoods within the ranks of their enemies, they may be tried for espionage and, if found guilty, shot or otherwise punished as per the laws of the nation that has captured them.

-->The (Third) Geneva Convention (of 12 August 1949), Article 4.A(2), defines a Lawful Combatant as "(a) that of being commanded by a person responsible for his subordinates; (b) that of having fixed distinctive insignia recognizable at a distance; (c) that of carrying arms openly; and (d) that of conducting their operations in accordance with [[UsefulNotes/TheLawsAndCustomsOfWar the laws and customs of war]]."

Match grade ammunition (such as Sierra Match-King) often contains a thin hollow nose for ballistics reasons, but since it's wound profile is not noticeably different from a normal FMJ wound, the U.S. military has authorized its use.

In 1899, the Hague Convention stipulated that bullets must have a FullMetalJacket, banning dum-dums and other un/semi jacketed rounds.

These bullets, which expand in a person's body, are prohibited in formal warfare, but allowed in domestic law enforcement and actually required in some jurisdictions for hunting. Their downsides are that they have poor performance against armor and barriers as well as sometimes not expanding correctly. Their upsides is their relatively low chance of over-penetration (and hitting something [[AccidentalMurder BEHIND]] your target) and of course increased stopping effectiveness.

* It is, interestingly enough, perfectly OK to use tear gas on your OWN troops, for training purposes. As an example, both the US Army and Air Force have trainees stand in a gas chamber pumping out tear gas to show them that their chemical warfare protective gear will protect them.

There are several quasi military jobs that were taken into uniformed services to give protection under the geneva convention to those workers. Otherwise they were unlawful combatants and possibly spies. The Public Health and NOAA Corps are American examples of battlefield surverors and ambulence personal put in a uniform to give them protection on a battlefield.

* Black flags are often used for this purpose. This caused some awkwardness when Iraqis tried to surrender to Americans who were unaware of the custom. (mostly because it mean "No Mercy" in Europe, hence why pirate flags are black)

The 1949 version also covers spontaneous resistance movements, even not in uniform, if their conduct abides by the laws and customs of war. So captured members of LaResistance, provided they themselves avoid the usage of terror tactics proscribed under the Geneva Conventions, are also supposed to be treated as legitimate [=POWs=].

Only those who actually fight are combatants. [[WouldNotShootACivilian Civilians are not legitimate targets]]. Furthermore, combatants who have laid down their arms or become ''[[KickThemWhileTheyAreDown hors de combat]]'' must be treated humanely. However, should a civilian take up weapons and become a combatant, or a combatant deliberately disguise themselves as a civilian, they become categorized as Unlawful Combatants and the situation becomes much less pleasant.
* The first part of that last sentence is a uniquely Bush-era American view on the Geneva Conventions. The full text of the Conventions states that it is perfecly OK for a civilian to take up arms against an invading army.

Aircrew escaping from a doomed plane are not to be fired upon, as they are already out of the fight and now completely helpless to defend themselves. In the European Theatre in WWII, any pilot who intentionally fired at parachuting aircrews in sight of the enemy effectively [[BerserkButton signed their own death warrant]]. Any enemy fighter pilots in the area would ditch all other priorities just to take the son of a bitch down

* However, as has been made publicly known, the Bush Administration decided to use waterboarding on captured enemy combatants, and have given rather [[RichardNixon Nixonian]] [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem answers]] as to why [[EnhancedInterrogationTechniques it isn't torture]], cheifly amongst them Condoleeza Rice's explanation: "We were told, [[BlatantLies nothing that violates our obligations under the Convention Against Torture]]. [[{{Wallbanger}} And so by definition, if it was authorized by the president]], [[YouFailLogicForever it did not violate our obligations under the Convention Against Torture]]."

Aircrew escaping from a doomed plane are not to be fired upon, as they are already out of the fight and now completely helpless to defend themselves. In the European Theatre in WWII, any pilot who intentionally fired at parachuting aircrews in sight of the enemy effectively [[BerzerkButton signed their own death warrant]]. Any enemy fighter pilots in the area would ditch all other priorities just to take the son of a bitch down

These bullets, which expand in a person's body, are prohibited in formal warfare, but allowed in domestic law enforcement and actually required in some jurisdictions for hunting. Their downsides are that they have poor performance against armor and barriers as well as sometimes not expanding correctly. Their upsides is their relatively low chance of over-penetration (and hitting something [[AccidentalMurder BEHIND]] your target) and of course increased lethality (formal firearms training prohibits shooting to wound, as a firearm is a lethal weapon.)

* However, as has been made publicly known, the Bush Administration decided to use waterboarding on captured enemy combatants, and have given rather [[RichardNixon Nixonian]] [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem answers]] as to why [[EnhancedInterrogationTechniques it isn't torture]], cheifly amongst them Condoleeza Rice's explanation: "We were told, nothing that violates our obligations under the Convention Against Torture. [[Wallbanger And so by definition, if it was authorized by the president]], [[YouFailLogicForever it did not violate our obligations under the Convention Against Torture]]."

** However, as has been made publicly known, the Bush Administration decided to use waterboarding on captured enemy combatants, and have given rather [[RichardNixon Nixonian]] [[ScrewTheRulesIMakeThem answers]] as to why [[EnhancedInterrogationTechniques it isn't torture]], cheifly amongst them Condoleeza Rice's explanation: "We were told, nothing that violates our obligations under the Convention Against Torture. [[Wallbanger And so by definition, if it was authorized by the president]], [[YouFailLogicForever it did not violate our obligations under the Convention Against Torture]]."

Note that war has usually been governed by some sort of law or custom throughout history, but they differ in various times and places. As noted below, the Geneva Conventions recognize the right of a POW to attempt to escape. During the Napoleonic Wars, as an example, if a captured officer swore an oath to his captors that he would return home and no longer participate in the war until its resolution, he was honour-bound to keep his word. Many imperialist victories throughout history can be attributed to two different sets of customs regarding war coming to a head.