A declaration of war is a formal declaration issued by a national government indicating that a state of war exists between that nation, and one or more others.

Declarations of war and international law

In classical public international law, a declaration of war entailed the recognition between countries of a state of hostilities between these countries, and such declaration acted to regulate the conduct between the military engagements between the forces of the respective countries.

The League of Nations formed in 1919 in the wake of the First World War, and the General Treaty for the Renunciation of War 1928 signed in Paris, demonstrated that world powers were seriously seeking a means to prevent the carnage of the world war. However, these powers were unable to stop the Second World War and, thus, the United Nations System was put in place after that war in an attempt to prevent international aggression through a declaration of war.

Due to these developments, states that saw valid reasons for aggression against other states could take action against aggressor states that may appear similar to the classical definition of war before the twentieth century; the justification of the use of state-sponsored force could be found within the ambit of these developing international law norms.

History

Declarations of war have been acceptable means and diplomatic measures since the Renaissance, when the first formal declarations of war were issued.

Declarations of war have been phased out as a diplomatic tool since the end of the Second World War, particularly in the case of the United States. Among other reasons, this is because the legal concept of a "state of war" brings with it many logistical complications involving the established laws of war and other complex political issues.

In democratic nations, a Declaration of War customarily has to be passed by the legislature. Today, the legislature will often simply pass an "authorization for the use of force" instead. In both cases such resolutions serve to empower the national Commander in Chief to use war powers.

Current declarations

As of 2005, a few declarations of war remain in effect, though they are largely ignored and retained for only political purposes.

• North and South Korea have remained legally at war since the Korean War.
• Israel has been at war with Lebanon and Syria since the Yom Kippur War.
• Russia and Japan technically never ended their state of war following World War II. The Kuril Islands dispute is the current obstacle to the signing of a peace treaty.
• The Netherlands have never signed a peace treaty with Portugal after a conflict in 1567; thus, the two are technically still at war with each other.
• Chad declared a "state of war" with neighboring Sudan on December 23, 2005. This followed a recent border attack on Adre by Chadian rebels and Sudanese militia that killed 100. (see Sudanese-Chadian War).

Non-war war

In the late twentieth century, it became convenient for many governments, most notably that of the United States, to declare that their wars were not in fact wars, but something else, such as a "military action" or "armed response." In particular, not declaring war provides a way to circumvent constitutional safeguards agains the executive declaring war, as well as being more public relations-friendly than using the word "war." For these reasons, they have generally ceased to issue declarations of war, instead describing their actions by euphemisms such as "police action" or "authorized use of force."

See also

• Ongoing wars (mostly undeclared)
• Declaration of war by the United States