After Hitler: Genocides since World War II

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Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, especially those of a particular group or nationality. When people think of this forbidding word, their mind immediately flashes to images of concentration camps and Adolf Hitler’s army raising their arms, saluting to swastikas used during the Holocaust in WWII. But what people don’t realize is that genocide is not such a rarity. Thousands, even millions of civilians die each time genocide strikes. Genocides have been committed since the beginning of humanity, but three massacres since Hitler’s reign left the world shocked again at its own cruelty. The Guatemala genocide was completed in 1982 by the Guatemala Army, or as they refer to themselves, “killing machines” ("Talking About Genocide-Genocides-Guatemala 1982"). The army was targeting Mayan descendants, whom they accused of being communist” ("Talking About Genocide-Genocides-Guatemala 1982"). Whether they were or not, “Covert operations were also carried out by military units called Commandos, backed up by the army and military intelligence. They carried out planned executions and forced 'disappearances'.” ("Talking About Genocides-Genocide-Guatemala 1982"). The victims were tortured in various other ways as well, including rape and “death pits” in which they were thrown on top of each other into enormous holes in the ground ” ("Talking About Genocide-Genocides-Guatemala 1982"). As a result, many progenies of an ancient culture were lost. A decade later, another tradgedy would strike, this time in Eastern Europe. Yugoslavia was a very diverse, ethnic, and peaceful place under communist rule ("Genocide in Bosnia--1992-1995"). For 40 years it stayed this way ("Genocide in Bosnia--1992-1995"). Provinces declared... ... middle of paper ... ...everal times since the Holocaust, and the previous three are a few of the worst. These tragedies that occur throughout history are caused purely by fellow human beings, and it is up to human beings to stop them. As Jack Schwartz says, “Genocide is an attempt to exterminate a people, not alter their behavior.” It is the responsibility of not one, but all. The world needs to make these crimes against civilization come to a halt, once and for all. Works Cited “Genocide in Bosnia—1992-1995.” Holocaust Museum Houston. Nodus Solutions. Web. 14 Nov 2013. . “Talking About Genocides-Genocide-Guatemala 1982” Peace Pledge Union. Web. 15 Nov 2013. William R.. “Cambodia-1975.” Peace Pledge Union. Peace Pledge Union. Web. 18 Nov 2013 .

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