Genocide, Mass Atrocity, and War Crimes in Modern History ─ Blood and Conscience - Genocide and Mass Atrocity / War Crimes

Defining "genocide" as an international crime, this two-volume set provides a comparative study of historical cases of genocide and mass atrocity—clearly identifying the factors that produced the attitudes and behaviors that led to them—discusses the reasons for rules in war, and examines how the five principles laid out in the Geneva Conventions and other international agreements have functioned in modern warfare.
• Presents a comparative perspective and detailed historical background for each case that emphasizes how many different factors may lead to atrocity/genocide• Discusses the difficulty of organizing international efforts to intervene to prevent atrocities or to respond at the moment they are occurring• Explains why international prosecutions for genocide are difficult even though the goal of the law is to hold responsible those in charge as well as the planners and instigators• Identifies how cultural factors affect individual attitudes toward what is accepted as legitimate behavior in combat• Focuses on the "law in action" with illustrations from specific cases

James Larry Taulbee, PhD, is professor emeritus of political science at Emory University, Atlanta, GA.