Lincoln's Code

The Laws of War in American History

Nonfiction, Reference & Language, Law, Military, Biography & Memoir, Historical, History
Cover of the book Lincoln's Code by John Fabian Witt, Free Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: John Fabian Witt ISBN: 9781416570127
Publisher: Free Press Publication: September 4, 2012
Imprint: Free Press Language: English
Author: John Fabian Witt
ISBN: 9781416570127
Publisher: Free Press
Publication: September 4, 2012
Imprint: Free Press
Language: English

Pulitzer Prize Finalist
Bancroft Prize Winner
ABA Silver Gavel Award Winner
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

In the closing days of 1862, just three weeks before Emancipation, the administration of Abraham Lincoln commissioned a code setting forth the laws of war for US armies. It announced standards of conduct in wartime—concerning torture, prisoners of war, civilians, spies, and slaves—that shaped the course of the Civil War. By the twentieth century, Lincoln’s code would be incorporated into the Geneva Conventions and form the basis of a new international law of war.

In this deeply original book, John Fabian Witt tells the fascinating history of the laws of war and its eminent cast of characters—Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, and Lincoln—as they crafted the articles that would change the course of world history. Witt’s engrossing exploration of the dilemmas at the heart of the laws of war is a prehistory of our own era. Lincoln’s Code reveals that the heated controversies of twenty-first-century warfare have roots going back to the beginnings of American history. It is a compelling story of ideals under pressure and a landmark contribution to our understanding of the American experience.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Pulitzer Prize Finalist
Bancroft Prize Winner
ABA Silver Gavel Award Winner
A New York Times Notable Book of the Year

In the closing days of 1862, just three weeks before Emancipation, the administration of Abraham Lincoln commissioned a code setting forth the laws of war for US armies. It announced standards of conduct in wartime—concerning torture, prisoners of war, civilians, spies, and slaves—that shaped the course of the Civil War. By the twentieth century, Lincoln’s code would be incorporated into the Geneva Conventions and form the basis of a new international law of war.

In this deeply original book, John Fabian Witt tells the fascinating history of the laws of war and its eminent cast of characters—Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Madison, and Lincoln—as they crafted the articles that would change the course of world history. Witt’s engrossing exploration of the dilemmas at the heart of the laws of war is a prehistory of our own era. Lincoln’s Code reveals that the heated controversies of twenty-first-century warfare have roots going back to the beginnings of American history. It is a compelling story of ideals under pressure and a landmark contribution to our understanding of the American experience.

More books from Free Press

Cover of the book Before the Shooting Begins by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Ex-Friends by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Strategic Management In Developing Countries by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Strategic Supremacy by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Trust by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Sala's Gift by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book A Bed of Red Flowers by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Discovering the Soul of Service by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Breakaway: Small Business by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Fungi by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Solitude a Return to the Self by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book 25 Poems in Praise of Political Independents and Mavericks by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book The End of Days by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Private Acts, Social Consequences by John Fabian Witt
Cover of the book Losing My Mind by John Fabian Witt
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy