John H. E. Fried

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DAVID V. EDWARDS. Arms Control in International Politics. Pp. viii, 200. New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston, 1969.

arms control, is tormentingly significant and disappointing. Control here encompasses any action, rule, or the like, designed to restrain the military effort-another wide concept, opaquely comprising preparations for war, the waging of war, and the methods of warfare. In turn, everything below the physically possible is restraint or, bluntly stated, a concession. Under this approach, no standard of behavior is taken for granted. Even aggression is not actually prohibited: its prohibition has only been often proposed (p. 18). The book gives a panoramic overview of political, technological, and other factors it considers as favoring or disfavoring control, and of controls that have been adopted, proposed, or, in its opinion, eroded. It discusses (pp. 58-142) various devices and processes to obtain various restraints by unilateral decision, tacit reciprocity, informal mutual arrangement, and treaty. In conclusion, it makes suggestions and predictions regarding control measures it considers possible in the 1970’s. Yet, despite all their sophistication and insights, the suggested measures are vitiated

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PART I: NATIONAL LAW 1. The Dilemma and its Solutions 2. The Leipzig Trials PART II: INTERNATIONAL THEORY 1. The Manifest Illegality Principle and the Personal Knowledge Principle 2. The Doctrine of Respondeat Superior 3. The Doctrine of Absolute Liability 4. The Mens Rea Principle PART III: INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION, 1919-1945 1. Initial Irresolution 2. The Negation of the Plea of Obedience to Superior Orders PART IV: THE CASES 1. Trials before International Tribunals 2. Trials before National Courts PART V: INTERNATIONAL LEGISLATION SINCE 1946 1. Doubts and Vacillations 2. The Work of the International Law Commission Conclusions