Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907

The First International Peace Conference, the Hague, May - June 1899 HU67224

The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 are a series of international treaties and declarations negotiated at two international peace conferences at The Hague in the Netherlands. The first conference was held in 1899 and the second in 1907. They were the first formal statements of the laws of war and war crimes in the body of secular international law. A third conference was planned for 1914 but was cancelled due to the outbreak of World War I.

Background

The conferences were convened at the suggestion of Tsar Nicholas II of Russia with the goal of setting limits on armaments and making warfare less likely. The Tsar's proposal was influenced by the increasing costs of armament, the growing complexity of modern weapons, and the desire to prevent conflicts through international dialogue. The idea was met with enthusiasm by many nations, leading to the first conference in 1899.

Hague Convention of 1899

The 1899 conference led to the adoption of three major treaties and three declarations:

• The Convention for the Pacific Settlement of International Disputes established the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which provided a forum for resolving disputes between states without resorting to war.
• The Convention with respect to the Laws and Customs of War on Land established comprehensive laws for land warfare.
• The Convention for the Adaptation to Maritime Warfare of the Principles of the Geneva Convention of 1864 aimed to apply the principles of the Geneva Convention to naval warfare.

Additionally, declarations were made regarding the prohibition of launching projectiles and explosives from balloons, the use of asphyxiating gas, and the use of expanding bullets.

Hague Convention of 1907

The second conference expanded on the work of the first, resulting in thirteen conventions that covered a wide range of topics, including the rights and duties of neutral powers, the laying of sea mines, and the bombardment by naval forces in wartime. The 1907 conference also revised the 1899 conventions regarding the laws of war on land and the adaptation of the principles of the Geneva Convention to maritime warfare.

Impact and Legacy

The Hague Conventions were significant in the development of international humanitarian law. They established rules and procedures for the conduct of warfare, aimed at protecting those not participating in hostilities and limiting the means and methods of warfare. Despite their limitations and the fact that not all states adhered to their provisions, the conventions represented a major step forward in the codification of the laws of war.

During World War I and World War II, the principles and regulations established by the Hague Conventions were put to the test. In many instances, the conventions were ignored, leading to widespread atrocities. However, the principles laid down by the Hague Conventions formed the basis for later international treaties and the development of international humanitarian law, including the Geneva Conventions.

See Also

• Geneva Conventions
• International humanitarian law
• Permanent Court of Arbitration
• War crimes