Dunant's Dream: War, Switzerland and the History of the Red Cross

This book traces the history of the Red Cross, the dream of the Swiss businessman Henri Dunant. The story begins in 1859, when almost by chance, Dunant witnessed the butchery and lack of care for injured soldiers during the Battle of Solferino, a crucial battle in the Second Italian War of Independence. Upon discovering the suffering of wounded soldiers abandoned to die on the battlefield, Dunant realized that modern warfare would lead to more wounded soldiers and more serious injuries. The thought that medical treatment provided to soldiers regardless of nationality could save significant numbers of them led to the creation of what is today the pre-eminent international humanitarian charity, with 137 national societies and 250 million members.