Lieber Code

The Lieber Code, also known as General Orders No. 100, was a military law written by Franz Lieber in 1863 to govern the wartime conduct of the Union Army during the American Civil War. Lieber, a German lawyer and combat veteran, was commissioned by General Halleck to write the code in response to the need for clear guidance on command responsibility for war crimes and the management of irregular fighters, including guerrillas and escaped black slaves. The Lieber Code was a significant development in the history of international humanitarian law, as it established the principle that the laws of war should be based on a legitimate purpose for the war, and that soldiers have a responsibility to obey the laws of war.learn more on wikipedia