It contains 143 articles whereas the 1929 Convention had only 97. This Convention replaced the Prisoners of War Convention of 1929. The third Geneva Convention applies to prisoners of war. It has one annex containing a model identity card for medical and religious personnel.

It has 63 articles specifically applicable to war at sea. It closely follows the provisions of the first Geneva Convention in structure and content. This Convention replaced Hague Convention of 1907 for the Adaptation to Maritime Warfare of the Principles of the Geneva Convention. The second Geneva Convention protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war. It has two annexes containing a draft agreement relating to hospital zones and a model identity card for medical and religious personnel. The Convention also recognizes the distinctive emblems. These provide protection for the wounded and sick, but also for medical and religious personnel, medical units and medical transports. This Convention represents the fourth updated version of the Geneva Convention on the wounded and sick following those adopted in 1864, 19.

The first Geneva Convention protects wounded and sick soldiers on land during war. Those responsible for grave breaches must be sought, tried or extradited, whatever nationality they may hold. They contain stringent rules to deal with what are known as ' grave breaches'. The Conventions and their Protocols call for measures to be taken to prevent or put an end to all breaches. They specifically protect people who are not taking part in the hostilities (civilians, health workers and aid workers) and those who are no longer participating in the hostilities, such as wounded, sick and shipwrecked soldiers and prisoners of war. The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are at the core of international humanitarian law, the body of international law that regulates the conduct of armed conflict and seeks to limit its effects.

Law of armed conflict geneva convention