7.8H: Mass Atrocities After 1900

team (2)

AP Theme

Social Interactions and Organization

Learning Objective 7H

Explain the various causes and consequences of mass atrocities in the period from 1900 to the present.

Historical Development 1

The rise of extremist groups in power led to the attempted destruction of specific populations, notably the Nazi killing of the Jews in the Holocaust during World War II, and to other atrocities, acts of genocide, or ethnic violence.

Contents

Context

The rise of extremist groups into power led to the attempted destruction of specific populations in acts of ethnic violence and genocide. The goal of these mass murders was often to destroy a group of people to remove them from a population.

What factors did extremists use to target groups?

  • Ethnicity
  • Religion
  • Race
  • National origin
  • Political affiliation
  • Sexual orientation or gender identity

What factors contributed to mass atrocities in the 20th century?

  • New weapons allowed for mass killings of populations
  • The rise of extremist groups into positions of power
  • Legacy of colonization and imperialism
  • Industrial weapons killed at a larger scale

What were the significant consequences of mass atrocities in the 20th century?

  • Millions of people died in acts of violence
  • The creation of new long-term historical hatreds
  • Long-term generational traumas created

Examples of 20th-century mass atrocities

Below are some of the most notorious mass atrocities of the 20th century.