This detailed overview and critical, philosophical analysis surveys the historical development of just war reasoning, its incorporation into the international laws concerning when and how to wage war and the specific shortcomings with existing laws and practices concerning the conduct of modern-day hostilities. It examines certain problematic aspects of the international laws of war and the just war tradition such as obedience to superior orders, military necessity and reprisals.

Cover title: The ethics of war & peace.

Sec. I. The just war tradition. Just war in antiquity -- Christianity and the just war tradition -- St. Augustine and the tradition of just war -- Secularization of the just war tradition -- Sec. II. The legal position of war. Hugo Grotius : father of international law -- Hugo Grotius and the just war -- Problems for international law -- Sec. III. Moral issues in war. The responsibility for war crimes -- Military necessity -- Reprisals -- Nuclear, biological and chemical weapons.