On June 24, 1859 in Solferino, a small town located in the lower mainland Lambordi Province, north of Italy, fierce fighting took place between French and Austrian soldiers. The battle that lasted about 16 hours and involving 320,000 soldiers were, swallowed tens of thousands of victims killed and injured. Around 40 thousand people died in battle.
The number of soldiers who became victims, where the fighting took place between groups that face each other, it is a characteristic of war that took place at that time. Just like the massacres that kill thousands of people at one time. Moreover, military commanders do not consider the interests of injured people to get help and treatment. They only regarded as 'food cannon'. Thousands of corpses of their overlap with the wounded without help. The number of surgeons were woefully inadequate. At that time, there were only four people who took care of veterinarian thousand horses and a doctor for a thousand people. The battle ultimately won by France.
As a result of the war with a horrible sight that inspires Henry Dunant, a Swiss businessman (1828 - 1910) who was passing by on his way to meet with Emperor Napoleon III for purposes of business. But witnessing a horrible scene of battle, make up and forgot her sorrow will aim to meet the emperor. He gathered the people from surrounding villages and stay there for three days to actually spend the time to care for the wounded.
Thousands of the wounded without treatment and left to die in place for medical services are insufficient and inadequate number of tasks / skills, made him very aroused. Words of wisdom that is expressed at the time, Siamo tutti Fratelli (We are all brothers), opened the hearts of the volunteers to serve the friends and enemies without distinction.
International Committee
Dunant Returning to Switzerland, making continued haunted by the nightmare he had witnessed at Solferino. To eliminate a bad image in his mind and to draw world attention to the fact cruel war, he wrote a book and published at their own expense in November 1862. The book is titled "Memories of Solferino (Un Souvenir de Solferino).
The book contains two important ideas are:
- Need help establish associations in each country consisting of volunteers to care for the wounded in time of war.
- The need for international agreements to protect the soldiers wounded in battle and the people who care and provide for their neutral status.
Next Dunant sent the book to prominent families in Europe as well as military leaders, politicians, philanthropists and friends. Business was soon led to unexpected results. Dunant was invited everywhere and praised everywhere. Many people are attracted to the idea of Henry Dunant, including Gustave Moynier, a lawyer and also chairman of the Geneva Public Welfare Society (GPWS). Moynier Henry Dunant was invited to put forward his idea in a meeting held at the GPWS is February 9, 1863 in Geneva. turns out, 160 of 180 people support the idea of Dunant GPWS. At the same time ditunjuklah four members and was formed COMMITTEE GPWS FIVE realization of an idea to fight Henry Dunant. They are:
1. Gustave Moynier
2. dr. Louis Appia
3. dr. Theodore Maunoir
4. Hendri-General Guillaume Dufour
The Henry Dunant, although not a member of the GPWS, but the committee is appointed to be secretary. On February 17, 1863, the Committee of Five was renamed the International Standing Committee for Aid to Wounded Soldiers and raised new chairman of General Guillaume - Henri Dufour.
In October 1863, the International Permanent Committee for the Wounded Soldiers Relief Society, the Swiss government for help, managed to establish the first International Conference in Geneva which was attended by representatives from 16 countries (Austria, Baden, Beierem, Netherlands, Heseen-Darmstadt, England, Italy, Norway , Prussia, France, Spain, Saxons, Sweden, Switzerland, Hannover and Hutenberg). Some of these countries are now a part of the German State.
The results of the conference, a convention was agreed that consists of ten chapters, some of which are crucial chapters of the replacement of International Standing Committee name to Helping Injured Soldiers to COMMITTEE International Red Cross, or ICRC (International Committeee of the Red Cross) and the establishment of a sign especially for volunteers who give aid to wounded soldiers on the battlefield of the Red Cross on a white base.
At the end of the 1863 international conference, Dunant's first idea - to form the association of the volunteers in each country becomes a reality. Several similar association was formed several months later after the ongoing international conference on Wurttemburg may, the Grand Duchy of Oldenburg, Belgium and Prussia. Other associations soon stand as the Danish, French, Italy, Mecklenburgh-Schwerin, Spain, Hamburg and Hesse. At that time they called the National Committee or Relief Society.
Furthermore, with the support of the Swiss government again, diadakanlah Diplomatic Conference held in Geneva on 8 to 28 August 1864. 16 countries and four donor institutions send representatives. As for discussion, a draft convention prepared by the International Committee. The design is called "the Geneva Convention to improve the condition of the wounded soldiers on the battlefield" and approved on August 22, 1864. HPI was born the modern. Convention Dunant create a second idea, namely to improve the situation of the wounded soldiers during the war and making the countries providing the neutral status of the wounded soldiers and the people who take care of health personnel.
