International Law. A Treatise. Volume 2 (of 2): War and Neutrality. Second EditionOppenheim, L. (Lassa)
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International Law. A Treatise. Volume 2 (of 2): War and Neutrality. Second Edition
Oppenheim, L. (Lassa)
International law
It is of particular importance not to confound invasion with occupation
in this matter. Article 2 distinctly speaks of the _approach_ of the
enemy, and thereby sanctions only such a levy _en masse_ as takes place
in territory not yet _invaded_ by the enemy. Once the territory is
invaded, although the invasion has not yet ripened into occupation,[122]
a levy _en masse_ is no longer legitimate. But, of course, the term
_territory_, as used by article 2, is not intended to mean[123] the
whole extent of the State of a belligerent, but refers only to such
parts of it as are not yet invaded. For this reason, if a town is
already invaded, but not a neighbouring town, the inhabitants of the
latter may, on the approach of the enemy, legitimately rise _en masse_.
And it matters not whether the individuals taking part in the levy _en
masse_ are acting in immediate combination with a regular army or
separately from it.[124]
[Footnote 122: Concerning the difference between invasion and
occupation, see below, § 167.]
[Footnote 123: See _Land Warfare_, §§ 31-32.]
[Footnote 124: See _Land Warfare_, § 34.]
[Sidenote: Barbarous Forces.]
§ 82. As International Law grew up amongst the States of Christendom,
and as the circle of the members of the Family of Nations includes only
civilised, although not necessarily Christian, States, all writers on
International Law agree that in wars between themselves the members of
the Family of Nations should not make use of barbarous forces--that is,
troops consisting of individuals belonging to savage tribes and
barbarous races. But it can hardly be maintained that a rule of this
kind has customarily grown up in practice, nor has it been stipulated by
treaties, and the Hague Regulations overlook this point. This being the
fact, it is difficult to say whether the members of such barbarous
forces, if employed in a war between members of the Family of Nations,
would enjoy the privileges due to members of armed forces generally. I
see no reason why they should not, provided such barbarous forces would
or could comply with the laws and usages of war prevalent according to
International Law. But the very fact that they are barbarians makes it
probable that they could or would not do so, and then it would be
unreasonable to grant them the privileges generally due to members of
armed forces, and it would be necessary to treat them according to
discretion.[125] But it must be specially observed that the employment
of barbarous forces must not be confounded with the enrolling of
coloured individuals into the regular army and the employment of
regiments consisting of disciplined coloured soldiers. There is no
reason whatever why, for instance, the members of a regiment eventually
formed by the United States of America out of negroes bred and educated
in America, or why members of Indian regiments under English commanders,
if employed in wars between members of the Family of Nations, should not
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