LG1: Describe various examples of 20th century politically motivated mass murders and genocide and explain how some individuals responded to political oppression in the 20th century.

What is Genocide?? “Any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group, as such: Killing members of the group. Causing serious bodily or mental harm. Deliberately inflicting conditions of life for physical destruction in whole or in part. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group."

“More than 50 million people were systematically murdered in the past 100 years- the century of mass murder.” “In sheer numbers, these and other killings make the 20th century the bloodiest period in human history.” National Geo. 2006

1. CLASSIFICATION:   All cultures have categories to distinguish people into "us and them" by ethnicity, race, religion, or nationality: Bipolar societies that lack mixed categories, such as Rwanda and Burundi, are the most likely to have genocide. German and Jew Hutu and Tutsi.

 2. SYMBOLIZATION We give names or other symbols to the classifications. Classification and symbolization are universally human and do not necessarily result in genocide unless they lead to the next stage, dehumanization. When combined with hatred, symbols may be forced upon unwilling members of pariah groups We name people "Jews" or "Gypsies“ distinguish them by colors or dress yellow star for Jews under Nazi rule the blue scarf for people from the Eastern Zone in Khmer Rouge Cambodia.

3. DEHUMANIZATION: One group denies the humanity of the other group. Members of it are equated with animals, vermin, insects or diseases. Dehumanization overcomes the normal human revulsion against murder.

4. ORGANIZATION: Genocide is always organized, usually by the state, though sometimes informally (Hindu mobs led by local RSS militants) or by terrorist groups. Special army units or militias are often trained and armed. Plans are made for genocidal killings.

5. POLARIZATION: Extremists drive the groups apart. Hate groups broadcast polarizing propaganda. Laws may forbid intermarriage or social interaction. Extremist terrorism targets moderates, intimidating and silencing the center.

6. PREPARATION: Victims are identified and separated out because of their ethnic or religious identity. Death lists are drawn up. Members of victim groups are forced to wear identifying symbols. They are often segregated into ghettoes, forced into concentration camps, or confined to a famine-struck region and starved.

7. EXTERMINATION: Extermination begins, and quickly becomes the mass killing legally called "genocide." It is "extermination" to the killers because they do not believe their victims to be fully human. When it is sponsored by the state, the armed forces often work with militias to do the killing. Sometimes the genocide results in revenge killings by groups against each other, creating the downward whirlpool-like cycle of genocide.

8. DENIAL: It is among the surest indicators of further genocidal massacres. The perpetrators of genocide dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, try to cover up the evidence and intimidate the witnesses. They deny that they committed any crimes, and often blame what happened on the victims. They block investigations of the crimes, and continue to govern until driven from power by force, when they flee into exile. There they remain with impunity, like Pol Pot.

Cambodia 1975-1979 The Khmer Rouge killed over 2 million The communist party Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, ruled Cambodia from 1975-1979. In his attempt to transform Cambodia into a rural society, Pol Pot’s followers slaughtered 2 million people. They were responsible for forced labor, starvation, and execution. This was one quarter of the nation’s population. This was one of the most lethal regimes of the 20th century. This communist party killed “suspect ethnic groups”- Chinese, Vietnamese, Buddhist monks, and refugees. The Khmer Rouge was overthrown in 1978 by the Vietnamese and eventually adopted a democratic constitution. Pot Pol was captured and detained in 1997 for war crimes. No punishment Pol Pot died quietly in his sleep

Khmer Rouge - Cambodia

Khmer Rouge - Cambodia A Cambodian boy stands in front of a platform covered with human skulls at the Killing Field in Trapeang Sva Village, Kandal province

Khmer Rouge - Cambodia map of skulls of Khmer Rouge victims at Cambodia's genocide museum in the capital Phnom Penh 

China - Cultural Revolution (1966) The goal of the Cultural Revolution was to establish a society of peasants and workers in which all were equal. The Red Guards shut down colleges and schools because intellectual and artistic activity was considered useless.   Get rid of the 'Four Olds' of Chinese society (old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas) & Bourgeoisie Professors, government officials, factory managers, professionals, people of privilege or whoever resisted the regime were forced to do hard labor in remote villages, executed or died in jail. By 1976, society began to be restored to order.

China- Cultural Revolution (1966) Individuals accused by the Red Guards of being anti-revolutionists and anti-Mao were People burning old and traditional objects during the Cultural Revolution's 'Break the Four Olds' Movement, 1966. 

Confession and Humiliation in Mao's Cultural Revolution The main role of the Red Guards in the Cultural Revolution was attacking and destroying the 'Four Olds' of Chinese society (old customs, old culture, old habits and old ideas). Confession and Humiliation in Mao's Cultural Revolution

China- Cultural Revolution (1966) Red Guards on the cover of an elementary school textbook.

China- Cultural Revolution (1966) Red Guards greet the morning with a mass reading of Mao's Little Red Book, 1968.

Latin America - El Salvador (1970s and 1980s) During the 1970s and 1980s, Marxist-led, leftist guerrillas and right wing groups battled each other for control of the government. This civil war led to the death of 75,000 people even with the election of a moderate president in 1984. Finally, in 1992 a peace settlement brought the war to an end.

El Salvador (1970’s-1980’s) Youths gather around the spot where a fellow student protester was killed.

Soviet Union - The Great Purge (1934) Stalin turned against the Communist Party and launched the Great Purge, a campaign of terror. directed at eliminating anyone who threatened his power. estimated that he was responsible for 8 to 13 million deaths. Stalin gained total control of the Soviet government and the Communist Party.

Armenian Genocide (1915-1923) Up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered The Ottoman Empire (Turkish) existed from 1299 to 1923. As Armenian nationalism grew so did their demands for freedom from Turkey. In conflicts with Turkish troops, tens of thousands of Armenians were killed throughout the 1890s. When World War I began, the Armenians pledged their support to Russia, an enemy of the Ottoman Empire in the war. As a result the Ottomans (Turkish government)responded and are responsible for the following: Deportation of 2,000,000 from their homeland- 1,500,000 of the men, women and children were then murdered. 500,000 were expelled from the Armenian homeland which existed for 2,500 years. The Turkish gov. disputes these charges Hinders acceptance into the EU Nobody was punished

Armenian Genocide

Armenian Genocide A photo from the Armenian Genocide Museum-Institute, dated 1915, shows Turkish soldiers standing over the skulls of dead Armenian villagers.

Armenian Genocide People lay flowers at the Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan

Accordingly, I have placed my death-head formation in readiness …with orders to them to send to death mercilessly and without compassion, men, women, and children of Polish derivation and language. Only thus shall we gain the living space (Lebensraum) which we need. Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians? Adolf Hitler 8-22-1939

Holocaust - Germany Both taken at buchenwald Left is author Eli Weisel

Holocaust - Germany Mass grave at Belsen Top left – human remains probably from one of the “ovens” at buchenwald Bottom Right – mass grave at belsen Mass grave at Belsen Human remains from one of the “ovens” at Buchenwald

RWANDA 1994 800,000 – 1 million killed Historically, there has always been ethnic tension between the Hutus and Tutsi. When President Habyarimana, a Hutu was killed in a plane attack. It was blamed on Paul Kagame - at the time the leader of a Tutsi rebel group - and some of his close associates for carrying out the rocket attack. Leaders retaliated with the slaughtered of Tutsis and moderate Hutus by the military and eventually by ordinary citizens.

RWANDA 1994 The Rwandan Genocide was the slaughter of an estimated 800,000 to 1,000,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus, mostly carried out by two extremist Hutu militia groups during a period of 100 days from April 6th through mid-July 1994. Western and First World Countries did nothing to help this situation. Prior to the attacks the UN did not respond to reports of the Hutu plans. This Genocide was ended when the Tutsi rebel movement led by Paul Kagame seized power of the Hutu Government. 70 perpetrators have been convicted

Rwanda 1994 “Hutu Mobs armed with machetes and other weapons killed roughly 8,000 Tutsis a day during a three-month campaign of terror. Powerful nations stood by as the slaughter surged on despite pleas from Rwandan and UN observers” National Geographic 2006.

Rwanda (1994)

Rwanda (1994)

Bosnia: 1992 - 1995 Ethnic cleansing 200,000 dead; 2 million forced to flee their homes Ethnic cleansing Bosnian Serbs (ethnic group) vs. Bosnian Muslims Due in part to break-up of Yugoslavia after end of Cold War Mass shootings, forced repopulation, torture & rape common practices Leaders on trial for crimes against humanity 30 indicted, 8 convicted

Bosnian War

Bodies of people killed (1993) Bosnian War Bodies of people killed (1993)

Bosnian War Bosnian Genocide Memorial

Darfur 2003 - Present Over 400,000 dead; 2.7 million forced to flee their homes Govt. supported Arab tribesmen (Janjaweed – Devils on horseback) raid non-Arab villages in the Darfur region of western Sudan Killing & terrorizing villagers, burning villages Goals: remove non-Arab farmers to create a Pan-Arab state Gain access to resources, esp. oil UN has troops there, but not enough & don’t have enough equipment International Criminal Court issued arrest warrant for Sudanese pres. Omar Bashir for genocide Sudanese govt. refuses to turn him in

More than one hundred people continue to die each day; five thousand die every month.

Darfur Victims in Darfur