Chapter 12 (Use of Force and War) Notes of Public International Law
Chapter 12 Use of Force and War a. Meaning of War and Concept of ‘Just War’ 1. Meaning of War Definition of War War is a state of armed conflict between two or more organized groups, typically states or non-state actors, that involves the use of force and military strategies to achieve political, economic, or ideological objectives. It is one of the oldest forms of human conflict and has been regulated under international law through the doctrines of Jus ad Bellum and Jus in Bello. According to Sir Hersch Lauterpacht , war is a “contestation between two or more states through their armed forces to overpower each other and impose such conditions of peace as the victor pleases”. Similarly, Professor Starke defines war as “a contest between two or more states primarily through their armed forces, with the ultimate purpose of vanquishing the other and imposing its conditions of peace”. Historical Evolution of the Concept of War ...