A Memory of Solferino

A 1862 book by Henry Dunant recounting the suffering after the Battle of Solferino and proposing voluntary relief societies and an international agreement to protect wounded soldiers.

Battle of Solferino: An 1859 battle in northern Italy between French-Sardinian and Austrian forces, notorious for its heavy casualties. Its wounded soldiers and inadequate medical care prompted Dunant’s account.
Battlefield medicine: Medical care delivered to wounded people during or near armed conflict. The book exposes the limits of battlefield care in 1859.
International Committee of the Red Cross: A humanitarian organization founded in Geneva in 1863 to protect and assist victims of armed conflict. Dunant’s proposals inspired the committee’s formation.
Geneva Convention: A set of treaties establishing protections for people affected by armed conflict. The first convention developed directly from the book’s call for international rules.
Henry Dunant: A Swiss humanitarian and businessman who founded the Red Cross and shared the first Nobel Peace Prize. He witnessed Solferino’s aftermath and wrote the book.
Battlefield casualty: A person killed, wounded, missing, or captured as a result of military operations. The book centers on wounded soldiers left without adequate treatment.
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: Organizations in individual countries that provide humanitarian services and support the international Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. They realize Dunant’s proposal for voluntary relief societies in peacetime.
Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: A worldwide humanitarian network comprising the ICRC, national societies, and their international federation. The book helped inspire the movement’s founding and core mission.
Castiglione delle Stiviere: An Italian town where wounded soldiers from Solferino received improvised care in churches and other buildings. Dunant organized civilian assistance there after the battle.
Civilian volunteer: A person who freely gives time or services to help others without serving as a paid professional. Local volunteers supplied much of the relief Dunant witnessed.

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