War Trophy: Conquest's Bounty, Unveiling the Legacy of Conflict

By Fouad Sabry

What is War Trophy

An artifact that is captured by an invading force during time of conflict is known as a war trophy. War trophies typically consist of things like flags, weapons, vehicles, and works of art.

How you will benefit

(I) Insights, and validations about the following topics:

Chapter 1: War Trophy

Chapter 2: War Crime

Chapter 3: Looting

Chapter 4: Roerich Pact

Chapter 5: Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907

Chapter 6: Militaria

Chapter 7: International Humanitarian Law

Chapter 8: Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict

Chapter 9: Nazi Plunder

Chapter 10: Cultural Heritage

(II) Answering the public top questions about war trophy.

Who this book is for

Professionals, undergraduate and graduate students, enthusiasts, hobbyists, and those who want to go beyond basic knowledge or information for any kind of War Trophy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: One Billion Knowledgeable
• Release date: Jun 24, 2024

Book preview

Chapter 1: War trophy

An artifact that is captured by an invading force during time of conflict is known as a war trophy. Flags, weaponry, vehicles, and works of art are all examples of common battle trophies.

An exhibition of captured weaponry and standards was a common way for ancient Greeks and Romans to commemorate their military successes. On the battlefield, a trophy, which derives its name from the Greek word tropaion, was initially a remembrance to a conflict that was constructed from various artifacts. Additionally, these items were shown with cultural objects, which would later be referred to as war trophies. The Roman triumph also displayed similar items. Since ancient times, there has been a tradition known as human trophy gathering, in which the body parts of defeated adversaries have been used as trophies on occasion. In certain cases, the recovery of Roman eagles that had been stolen as prizes by hostile armies was the impetus for years of more conflict.

Larger military items captured in battle, particularly weaponry such as machine guns and artillery pieces, became the property of the state to which the soldiers responsible for the capture belonged. In more recent times, it has become common for soldiers to return home with souvenirs, such as enemy weapons and flags. However, as time has progressed, it has become increasingly common for soldiers to bring home larger military items.

Following the conclusion of the Second World War, the Potsdam Conference granted permission for the German government to remove certain property from the country, including the merchant marine fleet. During the course of the war, Germany had taken away significant amounts of property from the countries that it had occupied. There were instances in which official looting was euphemized as the taking of trophies, such as in the case of the Soviet trophy brigades..

There is still a practice of taking war trophies in the present day; however, weapons that are brought back home as souvenirs are frequently deactivated before being transported home. According to Julian Thompson, only a small proportion of soldiers will bring home war trophies in order to avoid difficulties. In a case that received a lot of attention in 2012, British soldier Danny Nightingale was subject to a court-martial for illegally carrying a Glock with him after his tour of duty in Iraq.

One of the provisions of the Hague Convention of 1907 was Article 56:

Even when they are owned by the state, the property of towns, as well as the property of institutions dedicated to religion, charity, education, the arts, and the sciences, shall be treated as private property.

Taking possession of, destroying, or intentionally causing harm to institutions of this nature, historic monuments, works of art and science, is strictly prohibited and ought to be the subject of judicial procedures.

On the other hand, the piece did not maintain a high level of esteem during the rest of the century.

An additional convention, known as the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, was signed at the Hague in 1954. Since then, two protocols have been added to the treaty, which has strengthened its force.

Let’s delve into the fascinating world of war trophies in the context of military science.

War Trophies: A Historical Perspective

Definition and Purpose

A war trophy is an object acquired during conflict, often as a symbol of victory or dominance. These items hold cultural, psychological, and strategic significance. Here are some key aspects:

Types of War Trophies:

Human Trophies: Historically, human body parts were collected as war trophies. Examples include scalps, severed ears, and teeth. These gruesome artifacts served various purposes, from demonstrating dominance over the deceased to commemorating fallen warriors.

Artifacts and Objects: Beyond human remains, war trophies encompass flags, weapons, vehicles, and art. These items symbolize conquest and valor.

Motivations:

Dominance and Intimidation: Collecting trophies demonstrated superiority over the enemy. Skull cups made from vanquished foes’ skulls or shrunken heads served as macabre symbols of power.

Boasting and Status: Warriors displayed trophies to showcase their prowess and achievements. It became a way to prove one’s body count in battle.

Rare Commemoration: In exceptional cases, war trophies were venerated as relics of saints or to honor the fallen.

Historical Examples

Headhunting Across Cultures:

Scythians: They collected skulls to create skull cups, emphasizing their dominance.

Japanese Invasions of Korea (1592–1598): Noses and ears of slain Koreans and Chinese were brought back to Japan as trophies.

North America: European Americans took souvenirs (body parts, bones) during lynchings of African-Americans and conquest of indigenous lands.

Notable Instances:

King Saul and David: In biblical times, King Saul asked David for 100 Philistine foreskins as a bride price.

Little Crow’s Remains: The scalp, skull, and wrist bones of Little Crow, a Native American leader, were displayed as war trophies.

Modern Context:

Legality and Regulations: The Hague Convention of 1907 addressed the treatment of cultural and historic artifacts during warfare1.

Scientific Reasons: Some body parts appear in museums for scientific reasons, including establishing dominance over subject races.

Conclusion

War trophies reveal the complex interplay of power, culture, and psychology. Whether gruesome or symbolic, they remain a testament to humanity’s history of conflict and conquest.

Remember that war trophies evoke both awe and horror—a reminder of our shared past and the need for peace. 🕊️🏛️

{End Chapter 1}

Chapter 2: War crime

A war crime is a violation of the laws of war that gives rise to individual criminal responsibility for actions by combatants in action, such as intentionally killing civilians or prisoners of war, torture, taking hostages, unnecessarily destroying civilian property, deception by perfidy, wartime sexual violence, pillaging, and for any member of the command structure who orders any attempt to commit mass killings, including genocide.

The legal idea of war crimes arose from the formulation of customary international law that applied to battle between sovereign nations, such as the Lieber Code (1863) of the Union Army during the American Civil War and the Hague Conventions (1899 and 1907) for international war.

Peter von Hagenbach was tried by an ad hoc tribunal of the Holy Roman Empire in 1474 for his command responsibility for the activities of his soldiers, as he, as a knight, was believed to have a duty to prevent unlawful behavior by a military force. Despite arguing that he had followed superior commands, von Hagenbach was found guilty, sentenced to death, and decapitated.

The Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions were among the earliest official formulations of the laws of war and war crimes in the fledgling body of secular international law.

Lincoln issued General Order 100 on April 24, 1863, barely a few months after the military killings in Mankato, Minnesota. Franz Lieber, a German jurist, political philosopher, and Napoleonic Wars soldier, authored General Order 100, Instructions for the Government of the Armies of the United States in the Field (Lieber Code). Lincoln established the Code military law for all Union Army wartime activity. It specified command responsibility for war crimes and crimes against humanity and outlined the military duties of the Union soldier fighting against the Confederate States of America.

The Geneva Conventions are four interrelated accords adopted and continuously expanded between 1864 and 1949 that provide the legal basis and framework for the conduct of war under international law. Currently, every United Nations member state has ratified the agreements, which are universally recognized as customary international law and applicable to every armed conflict in the world. Nonetheless, the 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions containing the most pertinent, detailed, and comprehensive protections of international humanitarian law for persons and objects in modern warfare have not been ratified by a number of states continuously engaged in armed conflict, including the United States, Israel, India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Iran. Consequently, states maintain distinct codes and beliefs about wartime behaviour. Some signatories habitually breach the Geneva Conventions by using legal ambiguity or political manipulation to circumvent the formalities and principles of the laws.

In 1949, a fourth convention was added after the other three had been updated and broadened:

The First Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field was adopted in 1864 and replaced by the 1906 edition, which was substantially updated, The Second Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea was adopted in 1906 and replaced by