The connections between slavery and war vary across time and from place to place, but slavery has frequently been integral to both the causes and outcomes of war. Like war, slavery has been practiced in societies around the globe since the earliest phases of human history. Historically, prisoners of war have very often been made slaves by their captors. Some wars have been initiated with the procurement of such captives as a principal motive—particularly during the era of the transatlantic slave trade. Many wars have been fought by soldiers who were themselves slaves. Many other wars have been fought in attempts to end slavery, including slave rebellions.

Slavery has existed in many forms, but the term slavery generally refers to the practice of treating human beings ...