page_title: Law of war
hierarchical_section_title: Law of war
caption_attribution_description: The original document of the first Geneva Convention from 1864, on loan to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva, Switzerland Deutsch: Originaldokument der ersten Genfer Konvention, 1864 English: Original document of the first Geneva Convention, 1864. Suomi: Ensimmäisen Geneven sopimuksen alkuperäinen sopimusasiakirja, 1864. Français&#160;: Document original de la première convention de Genève de 1864. Norsk bokmål: Det originale dokumentet av den første Genèvekonvensjonen, 1864. Polski: Oryginalny dokument pierwszej Konwencji Genewskiej, 1864.
context_page_description: The law of war is the component of international law that regulates the conditions for war and the conduct of warring parties. Laws of war define sovereignty and nationhood, states and territories, occupation, and other critical terms of international law.
  Among other issues, modern laws of war address the declarations of war, acceptance of surrender and the treatment of prisoners of war; military necessity, along with distinction and proportionality; and the prohibition of certain weapons that may cause unnecessary suffering.
  The law of war is considered distinct from other bodies of law—such as the domestic law of a particular belligerent to a conflict—which may provide additional legal limits to the conduct or justification of war.
context_section_description: The law of war is the component of international law that regulates the conditions for war (jus ad bellum) and the conduct of warring parties (jus in bello). Laws of war define sovereignty and nationhood, states and territories, occupation, and other critical terms of international law.
  Among other issues, modern laws of war address the declarations of war, acceptance of surrender and the treatment of prisoners of war; military necessity, along with distinction and proportionality; and the prohibition of certain weapons that may cause unnecessary suffering.
  The law of war is considered distinct from other bodies of law—such as the domestic law of a particular belligerent to a conflict—which may provide additional legal limits to the conduct or justification of war.
caption: The First Geneva Convention governing the sick and wounded members of armed forces was signed in 1864.
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