The
idea of so-called
civilized war is actually a relatively recent idea. For most of history,
total war, if not the
genocide of the opposing people, has been the goal of open battle, except for empire-building nations such as the
Persians and the
Romans. Even with them, the concept of
total war was not unknown.
Just off the top of my head, I can think of:
- The Israelites and their conquest of Canaan, not to mention the Biblical command to exterminate the Amalekites.
- The Trojan War may be semi-mythical, but the death of all the males and the enslavement of the women was standard procedure for the victors in the battles between the Greeks.
- The Roman Empire and its second conquest of Carthage - the inhabitants were slaughtered and the fields were salted so no crops could grow for years.
- Genghis Khan routinely asked for the surrender of a city and slaughtered everyone, women and children included, if it was not given and the Mongols managed to take the city anyways.
So really, the concept of total war is not anything new. And even when considering the European countries who claimed honor in war, realize that only applied to valiant and honorable enemies. Rebels and barbarians were to be simply slaughtered, not striven against in the field of battle. War is ugly, and it will always be ugly, no matter what rules or agreements are made.