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

It’s a self serving treaty. Basicaly “I won’t if you won’t.” Both sides ideally don’t want their soldiers to suffer more than nessicary, so they agree to avoid tactics that create unnessary pain and suffering.

A stab wound takes someone out of the fight, so there’s no practical reason to use a knife that makes a wound impossible to close in the field.