Q. Which of the following is correct about scorched earth tactics?
1.It is a part of a military strategy which seeks to destroy anything that could be of use to the enemy.
2.None of the Indian rulers in the past has used this tactic.
3.Harming civilians as part of this strategy has been banned under the 1977 Geneva Convention.
Select the correct answer from the codes given below;

[A] .1 and 2 only

[B] .2 and 3 only

[C] .1 and 3 only

[D] 1, 2 and 3

Answer: C
Notes:

Statement 1 and 3 are correct: Scorched earth tactics form part of a military strategy which seeks to destroy anything that could be of use to the enemy, including energy supplies, bridges, provision stores, agricultural fields, road and railway links etc.

The destruction could be carried out by the enemy or by the retreating army of a country which does not want invaders to use its resources.

Harming civilians as part of this strategy has been banned under the 1977 Geneva Convention.

Statement 2 is incorrect: In India, the armies of Maratha leader Chhatrapati Shivaji were known for their scorched earth tactics. Some historians have said that while the Maratha leaders looted and burnt enemy towns, they were under orders to not harm civilians or desecrate religious sites.

Source: German Chancellor says Russia using ‘scorched-earth tactics’: What is this strategy

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