Throughout most of Western history, the right to #sack a besieged city was part and parcel of the customary laws of #siege warfare. From the 18th century on, we saw growing calls for minimising civilian suffering in war on moral and humanitarian grounds. lieber.westpoint.edu/sack-cities-...
The enduring custom of sacking obstinately defended towns and cities can obscure important shifts in both sentiments and practices.
