This work investigates how the concept of military honour shaped the treatment and social perception of prisoners of war between the French Revolution and the end of the First World War. Jasper Heinzen, a historian specializing in European military history, utilizes a comparative framework to analyze how shifting national identities and evolving international laws influenced the status of captured combatants. The book argues that the decline of the 'gentlemanly' code of conduct for officers significantly altered the experience of captivity for soldiers across the long nineteenth century.

Historians and scholars of military history frequently cite this text for its rigorous archival research and its nuanced exploration of the intersection between social status and military law. It is considered a foundational resource for understanding the cultural history of warfare in the modern era.