7.8 notes

Essential Question

• What were the causes and consequences of mass atrocities from 1900 to the present?

Historical Context of Mass Atrocities

• The early 20th century saw the rise of extremist groups leading to significant ethnic violence and genocide.

Armenian Genocide (1915-1917)

• Perpetrators: Ottoman Empire's "Young Turks".

• Victims: Approximately 1.5 million Armenians.

• Reason: Allegations against Armenians of collaborating with Russia during World War I.

• Consequences: Deaths from deportation, starvation, and execution. Turkey denies the term "genocide" and attributes deaths to war and disease.

Holocaust (1941-1945)

• Perpetrators: Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler.

• Victims: Approximately 6 million Jews, plus millions from other groups (Roma, disabled, political prisoners).

• Execution Method: Systematic extermination in death camps (e.g., Auschwitz, Treblinka).

• Key Concepts:

  • Final Solution: The plan for the extermination of the Jewish people.

  • Nuremberg Laws: Legal basis for discrimination against Jews.

Casualties in World Wars

• World War I: Total casualties included:

  • Military Casualties: 8 million to 9 million soldiers dead.

  • Civilian Casualties: Estimated 6 million to 13 million.

  • Key Event: Armistice Day (November 11, 1918).

• World War II: Total deaths estimated 40 to 50 million, more than half being Soviet citizens.

  • U.S. Casualties: Approximately 290,000 soldiers killed.

Famine and Epidemics

• Famine in Ukraine (1932-1933): Result of Soviet policies under Stalin; led to 7 to 10 million deaths.

• Influenza Pandemic (1918): Originated post-WWI, killing approximately 20 million worldwide.

The Rape of Nanking (1937)

• Perpetrators: Japanese soldiers during the Second Sino-Japanese War.

• Victims: Estimation of 100,000 Chinese soldiers and civilians killed.

• Significance: Represents wartime brutality, with parallels to Nazi practices.

Genocide in the 1990s

• Bosnia: Ethnic cleansing during the breakup of Yugoslavia; deaths of over 300,000 due to Serb nationalist policies.

• Rwanda (1994): Ethnic tensions between Hutus and Tutsis led to the murder of 500,000 to 1 million people. The international community's response was criticized for its inadequacy.

• Darfur (2003): Conflict between Arab and non-Arab groups led to over 200,000 deaths and mass displacement under the Sudanese government's campaign.

Key Themes and Terms

• Genocide: The intentional killing of a large group of people, particularly those of a specific ethnic group. Examples include the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide.

• Ethnic Cleansing: Actions aimed at establishing the dominance of one ethnic group over another, often through violence and forced removal.

• International Response: Post-Holocaust, the global community aimed to prevent such atrocities but frequently failed, as seen in Rwanda and Darfur.

Historical Insights

• The quote by Adolf Hitler ominously notes the lack of accountability for the Armenian genocide preceding the Holocaust.

• Mass atrocities often arise during times of political unrest, war, and economic turmoil, fostering an environment where violence against perceived 'others' becomes justified.