The Making of the Red Cross: Henry Dunant and the Geneva Convention

In 1859, Swiss businessman Henry Dunant witnessed the aftermath of the Battle of Solferino, where thousands of wounded soldiers were left to die. His book 'A Memory of Solferino' sparked the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross and the first Geneva Convention. This episode explores Dunant's transformation from a failed entrepreneur to humanitarian visionary, the crucial support of Geneva's Public Welfare Society, and the diplomatic efforts of Gustave Moynier and Guillaume-Henri Dufour. We also examine the controversy over Dunant's later bankruptcy and exile, and how the Red Cross became the world's foremost humanitarian organization. Along the way, we discuss the role of Swiss neutrality in enabling this initiative and the legacy of the Red Cross in modern conflict. #HenryDunant #RedCross #GenevaConvention #Solferino #ICRC #GustaveMoynier #GuillaumeHenriDufour #HumanitarianLaw #SwissHistory #19thCentury #InternationalLaw #ComitéInternational #CroixRouge #Neutrality #Humanitarianism #War #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo