ABSTRACT
Chapter 3 continues the historical analysis into the twentieth century by drawing on the changing nature of war and tracing international legal response to mercenaries in the context of decolonisation and proxy warfare. The re-emergence of private force is juxtaposed with the total centralisation of military resources at the beginning of the twentieth century, particularly during the period of the two World Wars. Despite the codification of provisions relating to mercenaries under the Geneva Conventions and active anti-mercenary movements, relevant treaties and norms have failed to achieve universality in their relevance and applicability. The analysis of Nicaragua case with regard to the use of the Contras also demonstrates the highly political nature of twentieth century international law.
