eli5: what happens if the Geneva convention is broken? my friend tried to explain to me but I still can’t understand
In: 320
There is not really such a thing as “international law”, and thus no real legal consequences for breaking it in a traditional sense. That said, adhering to rules at your own expense is usually done for several reasons:
1) it encourages reciprocity. If the enemy knows you have a lot of their guys taken prisoner, it generally behooves them to treat your guys decently as well. This is the foundation of most international treaties and agreements.
2) it looks good on the international stage. While belligerents in a conflict (and their allies) generally have an unshakable opinion of who the good and bad guys are, neutral observers might be swayed to support the side fighting a “cleaner” war. If one side tortures and murders POWs, for instance, while the other detains them in strict accordance with Geneva Convention, the latter is more likely to garner support from nations neutral to the conflict.
3) it encourages surrender. If you know the enemy is going to kill you regardless, you have every reason to fight to the last man. This makes taking territory an extremely expensive proposition. On the other hand, if surrendering means simply chilling in a camp for a few months until the war is over and you get to go home, entire brigades can be tempted to surrender objectives without a fight, if surrounded.
To take the current war in Ukraine as an example, nothing Russia does or does not do will have much impact on its pitch-black image in US and Europe. But for neutral countries like China, India or Turkey, the fact that Russia has, by and large, acted in strict accordance with Geneva Convention makes it easier for them to morally justify helping them circumvent sanctions. It is also the reason why the Russians have about ten times the number of POWs in their custody than the other way around.
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