Genocide

Definition

The deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, ethnic, religious, or national group. Genocide involves acts intended to destroy the group in whole or in part, including mass killing, causing serious harm, and imposing conditions designed to eliminate the group.

Examples

  • The Holocaust, in which Nazi Germany murdered approximately 6 million Jews during WWII
  • The Rwandan genocide of 1994, in which approximately 800,000 Tutsis were killed in 100 days
  • The Armenian genocide during World War I carried out by the Ottoman Empire
Key Fact

The term 'genocide' was coined by Raphael Lemkin in 1944; the UN Genocide Convention was adopted in 1948.

Related Terms

World war ii Total war Ottoman empire Decolonization

Study This Concept

Practice genocide with free review games in these units:

AP World History: Modern Unit 7: Global Conflict