The Lieber Code: Domestic Regulation Of The American Civil War

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The Lieber Code, signed into law by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 during the American Civil War, was a domestic regulation of the United States Army. When, in 1899, the Hague Convention sought to codify the rules of war, it drew heavily on Lieber’s 157 articles, in which he had set out guidelines to insure that civilians and prisoners of war would be protected, despite the fighting around them. It officially codified the rules of behavior in times of war including the application of martial law, treatment of non-combatants, prisoners of war, and hostages. It also addressed pillage, spying, truces, prisoner exchanges and paroles. This code served as a working paper for the delegates to an international peace conference that included the major European