Firebombings and Fallout: Why International Law Still Matters

Recent challenges to the rule of law around the world have led many to ask, “Does international law matter?” This event will examine that question through the lens of disarmament law. Eighty years ago, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the firebombings of Dresden and Toyko killed hundreds of thousands of people and wiped out whole cities. Over the decades that followed, international law helped prevent similar tragedies through the creation of new obligations and the stigmatization of certain arms. As war and weapons have evolved, the law has needed to be strengthened and adapted. While not a panacea, the letter and spirit of international law continue to make the world safer for civilians and must be protected during these difficult times. 

Panelists include: 

Bonnie Docherty, Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic (IHRC) 

Federica Du Pasquier, Lex International,  

Susi Snyder, International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) 

Moderator: Anna Crowe, Harvard Law School’s International Human Rights Clinic 

Organized by the Armed Conflict and Civilian Protection Initiative. Co-sponsored by the International Human Rights Clinic.  

Lunch will be served.