Imagine being a prisoner getting beaten for walking to slow, not having food, water, or maybe even clothing. If it wasn’t for the Geneva Conventions, it would still be like this today. These conventions have changed the world. I will tell you about what they are, and the how the conventions play in the world today.
The Geneva Conventions are 4 treaties and 2 additional protocols protecting civilians and wounded soldiers of the war. The first treaty was signed in 1864. What exactly are the conventions? They are “rules” of the war pretty much. It’s a humane treatment of civilians, prisoners, and wounded people during the war. It all started when Henry Dunant visited the wounded soldiers, he was shocked at the disturbing facilities. As a result, he published a book, Memoir of the Solferino, in honor of the war. This however led to the establishment of the Red Cross in Geneva, then later led to the Geneva Conventions. The Red Cross with a white background like we see today is the symbol of the Geneva Conventions.
The First convention dealt with the treatment of wounded and sick armed forces in the field. With this convention, prisoners were to receive food, medical care, and payment for any work they do. They also now had the ability to send and receive mail to communicate with loved ones back home. The second convention dealt with the sick, wounded, and shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea. And the third one death with the treatment of prisoners of war during times of conflict. Lastly, the fourth convention death with the treatment of civilians and their protection during wartime. These conventions were considered war crimes and are punished under international law. Even though people were punished for breaking the conventions, they