The bloodletting of the second world war came to an end with a devastating demonstration of a weapon whose power seemed barely imaginable. The nuclear age had begun and with it, a dangerous period of international tensions.
While Europe – breeding ground for much of the violence of the 20th century – strove to build ramparts of peace, other areas of the world continued to suffer from the effects of conflict; some of it took new forms, with freedom fighters, guerrilla movements and dictatorial regimes centre stage.

To meet the challenges posed by the changing face of war, and to take account of developments in the 1930s and 40s, there was a need for new legal rules. First came the revision and expansion of the Geneva Conventions, in 1949; in 1977, these were rounded off by two Additional Protocols. The ICRC helped to draft all of these laws.

To a greater or lesser degree, the ICRC was present and active during the conflicts of the post-1945 era and has a unique insight into the humanitarian problems arising from them. This final part of the ICRC's history section is being updated progressively to present an overview of its work.