LAND WARFARE

Abstract

This chapter focuses on land warfare and sources and development related to it. Warfare takes place on land, at sea and in the air. Although sea warfare also has a long tradition, land has historically been the most important chapter of war. Much of the law of land warfare is based on long-standing custom, that is, Customary International Law. Most issues of the law of land warfare are now covered by treaty law. While the application of the Hague Regulations as treaty law may be jeopardized by the general participation clause contained in Hague Convention IV of 1907, the Geneva Conventions, the Protocols additional thereto and the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons are in force for the parties thereto, even if not all the parties to a conflict are bound thereby. The means to secure respect for the laws of land warfare are those valid for the laws of war in general, through protecting powers or substitutes for them, through the work of the International Committee of the Red Cross, by penal sanctions, reprisals, and dissemination of The Hague and Geneva Conventions and Protocol.