A classic treatment of the morality of war written by one of our country's leading philosophers, with a new introduction considering the wars in Bosnia and Kosovo. Just and Unjust Wars examines a variety of conflicts in order to understand exactly why, according to Walzer, "the argument about war and justice is still a political and moral necessity." Walzer's classic work draws on historical illustrations that range all the way from the Athenian attack on Melos to this morning's headlines, and uses the testimony of participants, decision makers, and victims alike, to examine the moral issues of warfare.-- Provided by publisher.

USMC Commandant's Professional Reading List 2021 -- MSGT, 1STSGT, MGYSGT, SGTMAJ.

pt. 1 The moral reality of war: 1. Against "realism": The realist argument: The Melian dialogue. Strategy and morality. Historical relativism: Three accounts of Agincourt ; 2. The crime of war: The logic of war: The argument of Karl von Clausewitz. The limit of consent. The tyranny of war: General Sherman and the burning of Atlanta ; 3. The rules of war: The moral equality of soldiers: The case of Hitler's generals. Two sorts of rules. The war convention: The example of surrender -- pt. 2. The theory of aggression: 4. Law and order in international society: Aggression. The rights of political communities: The case of Alsace-Lorraine. The legalist paradigm. Unavoidable catagories: Karl Marx and the Franco-Prussian War. The argument for appeasement: Czechoslovakia and the Munich principle; Finland ; 5. Anticipations: Preventive war and the balance of power: The War of the Spanish Succession. Pre-emptive strikes: The Six Day War. 6. Interventions: Self-determination and self-help: The argument of John Stuart Mill. Secession: The Hungarian Revolution. Civil War: The American war in Vietnam. Humanitarian intervention: Cuba, 1898, and Bangladesh, 1971. 7. War's ends, and the imporatnce of winning: unconditional surrender: Allied policy in World War II. Justice in settlements: The Korean War -- pt. 3. The war convention: 8. War's means, and the importance of fighting well: Utility and proportionality: The argument of Henry Sidgwick. Human rights: The rape of the Italian women ; 9. Noncombatant immunity and military necessity: The status of indivisuals: naked soldiers. The nature of nessessity (1): Submarine warfare : the Laconia affair. Double effect: Bombardment in Korea; The bombing of Occupied France and the Vemork Raid ; 10. War against civilians : sieges and blockades: Coercion and responsibility: The Siege of Jerusalem, 72 A.D. The right to leave: The Siege of Leningrad. Taking aim and the doctrine of double effect: The British blockade of Germany ; 11. Guerrilla war: Resistance to military occupation: A Partisan attack. The rights of guerrilla fighters. The rights of civilian supporters: The American "rules of engagement" in Vietnam ; 12. Terrorism: The political code: The Russian Populists, the IRA, and the Stern Gang; The Vietcong assassination campaign. Violence and liberation: Jean-Paul Sartre and the Battle of Algiers ; 13. Reprisals: Deterrence without retribution: The FFI prisoners at Annecy. The problem of peacetime reprisals: The attack on Khibye and the Beirut Raid -- pt. 4. Dilemmas of war: 14. Winning and fighting well: "Asinine ethics": Chairman Mao and the Battle of the River Hung. The sliding scale and the argument from extremity ; 15. Aggression and neutrality: The right to be neutral. The nature of necessity (2): The rape of Belgium. The sliding scale: Winston Churchill and Norwegian neurality ; 16. Supreme emergency: The nature of necessity (3). Overriding the rules of war: The decision to bomb German cities. The limits of calculation: Hiroshima ; 17. Nuclear deterrence: The problem of immoral threats. Limited nuclear war: The argument of Paul Ramsey -- pt. 5. The question of responsibility: 18. The crime of aggression : political leaders and citizens: The world of officials: Nuremberg : "The ministries case". Democratic responsibilities: The American people and thew Vietnam War ; 19. War crimes : soldiers and their officers: In the heat of battle: Two accounts of killing prisoners. Superior orders: The My Lai Massacre. Command responsibility: General Bradley and the bombing of St. Lô; The case of General Yamashita. The case of necessity (4): The dishonoring of Arthur Harris. Conclusion.