War crimes include acts that violate the international laws, treaties, customs, and practices governing military conflict between belligerent states or parties (US Army, 2014). Most war crimes fall into one of three categories: crimes against peace, crimes against humanity, and traditional war crimes. Crimes against Peace include the violation of international agreements. Crimes against humanity include the enslavement or persecution of certain persons based on their race, religion, ethnic origin, or some other identifiable characteristic. Lastly, Traditional War Crimes consist of those acts that violate the accepted customs and laws of warfare that have been followed by civilized nations for centuries. War crimes are thought by many to erode our sense of ethics, especially when the individual or individuals are under pressure. …show more content…
There are three part to the “Just War” theory: jus ad bellum (justice in resorting to war), jus in bello (justice in the conduct of the war), and jus post bellum (justice after the war). The rules of jus ad bellum are pointed towards the heads of state, if anything goes or is done wrong, the head of state can be charged with war crimes. The rules of jus in bello involve correct conduct in the midst of battle. Lastly, jus post bellum refers to justice after the war. Many people believe that because of the “Just War” theory and its three parts, war can be ethical and help our country achieve its