ON HOLDING THE ENEMY ACCOUNTABLE: CUSTOMS OF RETALIATION IN THE CIVIL WAR

A BETTER PEACE presents "On Holding the Enemy Accountable: Customs of Retaliation from the Civil War." Lorien Foote and Jacqueline E. Whitt discuss how civilized nations maintained discipline in their forces prior to the emergence of international laws and norms of warfare. During the Civil War period, the answer was the customary practice of retaliation, which provides wronged combatants the opportunity to redress unlawful conduct by an opponent. How and why did this work, and to what extent did this practice reinforce good order of discipline?