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Fact File: Claim Canadian Soldiers’ Brutal Actions Inspired Geneva Conventions a Myth

Experts from the Canadian War Museum and the International Committee of the Red Cross dismissed the myth that Canadian soldiers inspired the Geneva Conventions, calling it 'utter nonsense.'
During Canada-U.S. trade tensions early last year, social media posts with over 260,000 views fueled this urban legend that Canadian soldiers’ conduct inspired the Geneva Conventions, which predate WWI.
Research by late historian Tim Cook shows that all combatants in the Great War engaged in "dirty tricks," such as booby-trapping souvenirs, and Canadians were "by no means exceptional" in wartime conduct.
Burtch noted that the myth reflects a nationalistic response to trade tensions and a misunderstanding of historical accounts, while Canadians possessed a "partially a cultivated image" of ferocity serving as national pride.
The Geneva Conventions were established in 1864 to protect wounded soldiers, with later protocols added in 1929 to address prisoner treatment and foster humane conditions, experts say.

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