Against realism --
The crime of war --
The rules of war --
The theory of aggression --
Law and order in international society --
Anticipations --
Interventions --
War's ends, and the importance of winning --
The war convention --
War's means and the importance of fighting well --
Noncombat immunity and military necessity --
War against civilians: sieges and blockades --
Guerrilla war --
Terrorism --
Reprisals --
Dilemmas of War -- Winning and fighting well --
Aggression and neutrality --
Supreme emergency --. Nuclear deterrence --
The question of responsibility --
Crime of aggression: political leaders and citizens --
War crimes: soldiers and their officers.

First published in 1977 and now brought up to the present with a new preface and postscript, this classic work by political philosopher Michael Walzer examines the moral issues that arise before, during, and after the wars we fight. Reaching from the Athenian attack on Melos, to the Mai Lai massacre, to Afghanistan and beyond, Walzer mines historical accounts and the testimony of participants, decision makers, and victims to explain when war is justified and what ethical limitations apply to those who wage it."--Back cover.