International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part I

International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part I

by | Aug 3, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC

International Law, the Civil Law Tradition, and Sources of Law – Part I Editors’ note: This is the first in a two-part post illustrating the impact of the civil law tradition on the formation of international law, specifically the sources of international law. This...
War Crimes in History

War Crimes in History

by | Jun 29, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC

War Crimes in History Editors’ note: This post is based on the author’s article-length work, “A History of the Law of War Crimes” appearing in International Review of the Red Cross. International law recognizes three categories of core crimes: genocide; crimes against...
The Sack of Cities: Laws of War and Evolving Attitudes in Historical Perspective

The Sack of Cities: Laws of War and Evolving Attitudes in Historical Perspective

by | May 22, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC

The Sack of Cities: Laws of War and Evolving Attitudes in Historical Perspective Throughout most of Western history, stretching back to the Homeric tradition of Troy, the right to sack a besieged city that refused to surrender was part and parcel of the customary laws...
Modern Attack Balloons and the 1907 Hague Balloons Declaration

Modern Attack Balloons and the 1907 Hague Balloons Declaration

by | Apr 29, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC, Weapons Law

Modern Attack Balloons and the 1907 Hague Balloons Declaration In the days leading up to the 1812 Battle of Borodino, Russia devised a plan to float a large shark-shaped hot air balloon over French forces to drop explosives. The balloon could not be made ready in time...
Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – Conclusion

Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – Conclusion

by | Feb 25, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC, Law of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium

Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – Conclusion As this symposium draws to a close, one principle emerges as the unifying thread across the societies examined in Volume 4 of The Laws of Yesterday’s Wars: reciprocity. This idea of reciprocal compliance or restraint in...
Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – African Traditions and the Preservation of Humanity during Warfare

Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – African Traditions and the Preservation of Humanity during Warfare

by , | Feb 25, 2026 | AoW Posts, Blog, History of LOAC, Law of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium

Laws of Yesterday’s Wars Symposium – African Traditions and the Preservation of Humanity during Warfare Editor’s note: The following post highlights a chapter that appears in Samuel White’s fourth edited volume of Laws of Yesterday’s Wars published with Brill. For a...