The four 1949 Geneva Conventions (for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded and sick in armed forces in the field, for the amelioration of the condition of the wounded, sick, and shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war, and relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war) can be found at 6 UST 3114, 3217, 3316, 3516 and 75 UNTS 31, 85, 135, 287. The two 1977 Protocols (I – relating to the protection of victims of international armed conflicts and II – relating to the protection of victims of noninternational armed conflicts) appear respectively at 16 I.L.M. 1391 and 1442 (1977).

The four 1949 Geneva Conventions and two 1977 Additional Protocols are major efforts to codify the international rules of humanitarian law in armed conflict. The status of these agreements, indicating which countries have signed and/or ratified them, appears above at I.L.M. page 553. In this message to the U.S. Senate, Protocol I is rejected. Protocol II is recommended, subject to certain understandings and reservations.