The Geneva Conventions were a series of four treaties, protocols and standards for international law for human treatment of war. They generally cover the treatment of POW (Prisoner of War) and treatment of civilians in the time of war. The Geneva Conference of 1864 was signed adopting 2 new international conventions on treatment of prisoners, POW and civilians. Later after World War 2, the Second Geneva Conference led to the creation of 2 more conventions and repairs and adding to the original 2 conventions.

In 1859, a businessman named Henry Dunant based in Switzerland visited wounded soldiers after the Battle of Solfernio. He was shocked and surprised by the absence of medical supplies and personnel for wounded soldiers. He published a book called "A Memory of Solfernio" in 1852 recalling the horrors of the war. He proposed

• A permanent relief agency for humanitarian aid in times of war.

• A government treaty recognizing the neutrality of the agency and allowing it to provide aid in a war zone.

The proposal led to the creation of the Red-Cross and also led to the 1864 Geneva Conventions. On August 22, 1864, the swiss government invited the government of all European countries, as well as the United States, Brazil, and Mexico to attend the Geneva Conference of 1864. Later, the conference adopted their first convention. "For the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field" was signed by 17 nations, states or Kingdoms.

• Swiss Confederation

• Grand Duchy of Baden

• Kingdom of Belgium

• Kingdom of Denmark

• Kingdom of Spain

• French Empire

• Grand Duchy of Hesse

• Kingdom of Italy

• Kingdom of the Netherlands

• Kingdom of Portugal and the Algarves

• Kingdom of Prussia

• Kingdom of Württemberg

Later on, an unsuccessful attempt to expand the treaty for wounded soldiers was undertaken to expand it to marine and navy too. All the countries signed it but it was only ratified by the United Sates and the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands later withdrew their signature and ratification.

Later on in the aftermath of WW2 and with many war crimes on Nazi soldiers under way, more conferences were held in Geneva, Switzerland and later on an agreement was made. All the countries invited were to sign and ratify all our conventions. Those conventions were

"THIS IS AN EXERT FROM WIKIPEDIA"

• The First Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field"

• The Second Geneva Convention "for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea"

• The Third Geneva Convention "relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War"

• The Fourth Geneva Convention "relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War".

Even though these document were accessibly long, they were later found to be incomplete. Many times, governments and militias found loopholes. One famous one was the Falklands War. Technique, this was not a war. Both countries never formally decaled war on each other so international law on war did not apply.

Conventions

Protocols

The 1949 conventions have been modified with three amendment protocols:

• Protocol I (1977) relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts

• Protocol II (1977) relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts

• Protocol III (2005) relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem.

Shaw, Malcolm. "Geneva Conventions". Encyclopedia Britannica, 4 Mar. 2020, https://www.britannica.com/event/Geneva-Conventions. Accessed 10 March 2021.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"Geneva Convention". History. August 21, 2018. A&E Television Network. https://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/geneva-convention