eli5 How does the Geneva convention work? How can it be enforced if nations are already at war? What incentive do armies have for following it?

Question

I mean there are no referees on the battlefield.

In: 3

Answer 1

Reminds me of Starfleet vs Klingons/Romulans. Starfleet abides by the moral high ground while the others do whatever they want. What would happen if Russia broke every single Geneva Convention rule? Probably nothing. I can at least hope countries like Russia or China would abide by the Geneva Convention, without any teeth, they don’t have to.