Naval Knowledge, Unit Four, Chapter Three: The Law of War at Sea
Use your mouse to click the box next to the most correct answer. You will be told whether your answer is right or wrong, and some information as to why it is right or wrong. If you are incorrect, choose another answer until you get the answer correct. When you have answered the question correctly, move on to the next question.
Under international law, Commanding Officers of warships are most closely related to which of the following below?
Justices on the International Court of Justice at the Hague.
Private citizens on international travel visas.
Chargés d’ Affairs heading up foreign missions.
Senior Military Attachés at overseas embassies.
Ambassadors heading up overseas legations.
Which of the following would NOT be considered an illegal act in time of war?
Naval bombardment intended to inflict wanton destruction of populated places
Attacks on hospital ships
The use of Chemical, Biological and/or Radiological Weapons.
The aerial bombardment of undefended cities open for immediate occupation
Unrestricted submarine warfare
What is the name given to a limited and selective form of a naval blockade directed against specific prohibited cargo?
An Embargo
A Tariff
An Injunction
A Restriction
A Quarantine
Which of the following statements concerning the rules governing the lawful use of minefields at sea is FALSE?
Precautions must be taken when laying the minefield for the security of peaceful neutral shipping.
Unanchored contact mines are forbidden unless they become harmless within one hour after they cannot be controlled
Automatic minefields are not to be laid solely for the purpose of intercepting commercial shipping.
Minefields which could have an adverse affect on neutral commercial shipping are prohibited.
The rules for the use of minefields in war were specified in the Hague Conventions.
What does a foreign country normally do if a U.S. warship abuses it's privileges while in port?
Files a formal complaint through diplomatic channels.
Authorizes its police or armed forces to board the warship.
Files charges in the International Court of Justice against the warship's Commanding Officer.
Files charges in admiralty court against the warship's Commanding Officer.
Cancels further visits to the port by U.S. warships.
What is the name of the agreement that often exists between the U.S. and foreign governments which specifies in detail how any problems are to be handled in the event a crew member or officer breaks a law while on liberty or leave in a foreign port?
The Geneva Conventions
The International Incident Agreements.
The Asylum Rights Agreement
The Status of Forces Agreement
The International Law of the Seas Agreements
To what type of vessels do the International Rules of the Road apply?
Merchants only
Warships only
Commercial merchant vessels and warships
To all vessels
Merchant vessels above 500 tons and all warships
What is the primary difference, if any, between the treatment of private property in land and sea warfare?
There is no "private property" in sea warfare if the fighting occurs in international waters.
There is no legal difference between the treatment of private property in land or sea warfare.
Private property must be returned to its owners in sea warfare.
In land warfare, private property is generally required to be left undisturbed.
Private property must be left undisturbed during sea warfare.
Which of the following statements is true?
International Rules of the Road generally apply in territorial seas and national waters, unless special internal rules have been adopted by a nation.
International Rules of the Road only apply on the High Seas, not in territorial seas or national waters.
International Rules of the Road only apply in national waters.
International Rules of the Road apply in territorial seas and all national waters.
International Rules of the Road only apply in territorial seas.
Which of the following is NOT a part of the requirements for a ship to be termed a "Warship" under international law?
The crew of the vessel must be subject to military discipline.
The ship or vessel must have armaments and be capable of engaging in combat operations.
The vessel must be authorized to display an appropriate flag or pennant identifying her as a commissioned naval vessel.
The ship must be commissioned as a part of the naval forces of a state.
The vessel must be commanded by a member of a state's military forces.
Which of the following is NOT a requirement for a warship in a foreign port of call?
To comply with harbor regulations concerning sewage disposal.
To comply with harbor regulations concerning quarantine restrictions.
To comply with harbor regulations concerning traffic control.
To comply with harbor regulations concerning speed control.
To comply with harbor regulations concerning routine searches or inspections of the ship.
Who or what makes the determination of liability in the case of a ship found to be carrying contraband on the high seas?
The International Court of Justice at the Hague
A prize court
The Commanding Officer of the warship that discovered the contraband
An appeals court of the United Nations
The boarding officer of the warship that discovered the contraband
In what year did the current set of International Rules of the Road come into effect?
1995
1972
1977
1895
2003
Which of the following is NOT an internationally recognized responsibility of Commanding Officers of warships?
Render assistance to any person found at sea in danger of being lost.
Following a collision at sea, render assistance to the other ship.
To prevent confrontations between warships of other nations on the high seas.
Rescue persons in distress if informed of their need of assistance.
To suppress piracy on the high seas.
In the case of a collision at sea, where is the law case held to determine who was responsible?
In the International Court of Justice at the Hague
In an admiralty court of the maritime nation having jurisdiction.
In a civil court conducted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO)
In a civil court of the maritime nation having jurisdiction.
In an admiralty court of the United Nations
What is the primary difference between warships and merchants when visiting a foreign port?
Merchant ships are subject to the jurisdiction of the nation being visited.
Merchant shipping owners must negotiate their own Status of Forces Agreements.
There is not difference between the protections afforded the two under international law.
Merchant ship personnel retain protections even when ashore on leave or liberty.
Merchant ships cannot be inspected, even with the Commanding Officer's permission, unless the owners permission is also obtained.
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) is responsible for the development of International Rules of the Road. What international organization is the IMO a part of?
The United Nations
The League of Nations
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
The Hague Convention
The World Trade Organization (WTO)
What country first proposed the prohibition of the use of nuclear weapons in the deep seabed and ocean floor?
India
The United States
Canada
France
Great Britain
What has proven to be the most effective method of enforcing the laws of war?
The use of admiralty and prize courts to quickly administer justice in these cases.
The publication of the facts by the wronged nation.
Using UN observers in tension hotspots to report violations of the laws to an international tribunal.
Reprisal attacks
War crimes trials held by the victorious nations after the conflict.
What do port authorities or police personnel in a foreign port need to board a warship to investigate possible crimes?
The Commanding Officer's permission.
A formal request from the elected official or ruler of the government of the host nation.
A written order from that country's ambassador.
A international subpoena.
They do not need anything special as the warship is subject to local laws and rules while in the foreign port.
Which of the following is not one of the three basic principles underlying the rules of civilized land warfare?
Military necessity
Mercy
Chivalry
Humanity
Which of the following statements concerning the doctrine of "asylum" is FALSE?
The doctrine of asylum does not apply to merchant ships.
Local police cannot come onboard a warship without the Commanding Officer's permission.
Local police can come onboard a merchant ship to arrest an accused offender.
A foreign national seeking asylum onboard a U.S. merchant ship must be turned over to local authorities.
A foreign national seeking asylum onboard a U.S. warship must be turned over to local authorities.
The High Seas fall under the sovereignty of what state?
The League of Nations
The High Seas are not under the sovereignty of any state.
The United States
The International Court of Justice at the Hague
The United Nations
What term is used to describe all goods useful for making war that are destined for an enemy?
Munitions
CBR Weapons
Contraband
Blockade
Quarantine
What two countries' sailing rules were the foundation for the first international acceptance of the International Rules of the Road in 1895?
The British and the French
The American and the British
The French and the Spanish
The American and the French
The British and the Spanish
In order to be able to suppress piracy on the high seas, what right is granted under international law to warships?
The right of preemptive boarding.
The right of inspection.
The right of search and seizure.
The right of jurisdiction.
The right of approach.
What was the name of the meetings in 1907 that first attempted to set down the rules of warfare?
The Law of the Sea Conventions
The Hague Peace Conventions
The International Rules of the Road Meetings
The Paris Peace and Warfare Discussions
The Geneva Conventions
Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning the rules of war today?
They are designed to ensure that belligerents do not escalate a conflict to total war.
They are considered binding on all nations.
The limitations placed on land forces and naval forces are significantly different.
They are designed to restrain belligerents from the excessive use of force.
It does not matter if a belligerent nation has ratified the rules of warfare or not.
Which U.S. President halted the United States' production of chemical and biological agents?
President Regan
President Carter
President Eisenhower
President Nixon
President Kennedy
Which of the principals underlying the rules of civilized land warfare permits a belligerent to apply only the degree and kind of regulated force not otherwise prohibited by the laws of war?
Military necessity
Chivalry
Proportionality
Humanity
Mercy
What is the more common name given to the "Regulations for the Prevention of Collisions at Sea"?
The International Rules of the Road
The Hague Conventions
The Rules of the Law of War at Sea
The Safe Transit and Commerce Regulations
The Geneva Conventions
Concerning immunity from local laws while in a foreign port, which of the following statements is FALSE?
Officers may not be immune while ashore on leave.
Crew members may not be immune while ashore on liberty.
Officers are immune while ashore on official liberty.
Officers and crew are normally immune while off the ship on official business.
Officers and crew are completely immune while on board the ship.
Under international law, interference with a warship by a foreign state is considered what?