New technologies and war legislation: a progress?

[jmm99]

The 1899 "Balloon Bombing Ban" (adherence by a couple of dozen "State Parties") lapsed; but was "renewed" in 1907 by Hague Declaration (XIV) Prohibiting the Discharge of Projectiles and Explosives from Balloons (The Hague, 18 October 1907).

However, its text provided:

The undersigned, Plenipotentiaries of the Powers invited to the Second International Peace Conference at The Hague, duly authorized to that effect by their Governments, inspired by the sentiments which found expression in the Declaration of St. Petersburg of 29 November (11 December) 1868, land being desirous of renewing the declaration of The Hague of 29 July 1899, which has now expired,

Declare:

The Contracting Powers agree to prohibit, for a period extending to the close of the Third Peace Conference, the discharge of projectiles and explosives from balloons or by other new methods of a similar nature.

The present Declaration is only binding on the Contracting Powers in case of war between two or more of them.

It shall cease to be binding from the time when, in a war between the Contracting Powers, one of the belligerents is joined by a non-Contracting Power.

Adhered by some 20 State Parties (NOT including some major participants in WWI), it was a "dead letter".

For contemporary and later analysis, see "my hero", J.R. Spaight (Irish; Trinity College, Dublin):

Aircraft in war (1914)

Bombing Vindicated (1944)

Authoring a number of intermediate publications on airpower and the RAF, he also authored War rights on land (1911).

The Red Cross press release does not know its early 20th century history - and is ignorant of the Laws of War as understood by Spaight and others.

Regards

Mike