Epilogue

We have seen in the preceding chapters how the modern laws of war evolved historically from largely self-enforcing customary norms and practices in European inter-state warfare. In Vattel’s account of regular war, belligerent states comply to the extent that they take it to be in their best interest to do so. The most important interest is to keep the destructiveness of war within certain limits, but also important is the anticipation of onerous consequences from legal breaches, either in the form of direct reprisals or from developing a reputation for savagery that could be harmful in the future....