One cannot hope that this excellent historical memoir will be read by the rival warlords of Africa, ethnic cleansers in the Balkans, or the resilient tyrant of Baghdad. It should, however, be required reading for anyone who wants to understand the distinction between the unavoidable deaths and tragic suffering of any war and war crimes proper. The author volunteered to prosecute at Nuremberg and ultimately became the Chief American Prosecutor. He is already the author of many books on World War II, on Nuremberg and Vietnam, and, at his advanced age of eighty–four, plans to follow this personal memoir of the original trial of the top twenty–one Nazi leaders with another volume on the subsequent trials of the lesser fry.

Telford Taylor gives us a concise introduction to the history of the Rules of War: mercenary armies lived off the land, inevitably causing great suffering to the local civilian population. The changeover to professional armies included military food–supply services and greater discipline. The author gives instances of General Gage executing