Author Description

This book is one of the author's "Legal History of" series. The First World War was a turning point not only in the utilization of technology and societies’ resources in war but also in the laws of wartime. Launched after a century of relative peace in Europe, all the major belligerents were empires of one kind or another but most would not survive the conflict. National statutes, bilateral and multilateral agreements, and military codes provided a legal basis for the civilian and military actions undertaken before, during, and after this conflict. From the needs of this global and modern war, many new legal issues arose, addressed in laws and cases. The “War to End War” set the legal foundation for all succeeding wars in the 20th and 21st centuries. The global story of the legal side of WWI and its legacy is now told in this new book. Eighty (80) legal issues are identified from this war, ranging from the ancient rights of kings to deploying modern technology like airplanes and poison gases, from mutiny to blockade, from supplying and funding wars to suppressing dissent, from starving or deporting civilians to executing or ignoring soldiers, and from the impacts on living beings to the impacts on nations. For the legal issues identified, the relevant laws passed and the cases tried are discussed. Some cases are well known, others not but all are tied together in a new manner. In addition to presenting the story behind these legal issues from across the globe, the book provides practical assistance by linking many of these issues to modern application. Some of the issues presented are useful in understanding and resolving current conflicts (e.g. the use of poison gases). So whether you want to read this book to gain a global and comprehensive perspective on WWI’s legal issues, to be entertained by the famous, infamous, or little known cases, discover little-known issues, cases, or laws from the war period, or gain a background on the moder