The Verdict of Battle: The Law of Victory and the Making of Modern War

The Verdict of Battle is a thought-provoking and insightful book that challenges contemporary views on the law of war and its role in bringing conflict to an end.

Written by James Q.

Whitman, a renowned legal scholar, this book provides a fresh perspective on the history of warfare and its impact on modern conflicts. Through a detailed examination of the ritualized violence of the past, Whitman argues that pitched battles were more effective in bringing carnage to an end than modern warfare.

He contends that the belief that sovereigns could wage war for profit made the 18th century battle's golden age, and that both sides agreed to be bound by the result of a pitched battle. However, with the decline of monarchical legitimacy and the rise of republican sentiment in the 19th century, the public no longer accepted the verdict of pitched battles.

Instead, ideology became the just cause of war, leading to lawless wars that drag on without end. Whitman's iconoclastic tour de force challenges contemporary views on the law of war and its role in bringing conflict to an end.

With a focus on the history of warfare and the impact of modern humanitarian law, this book provides a unique perspective on the nature of war and how it can be brought to an end. Don't miss out on this groundbreaking work that will change the way you think about war and its role in shaping our world.

Get your copy of The Verdict of Battle today!