Genocide

Intentional destruction of a people

War & ConflictPolitics & GovernmentSocial & Human Rights
Genocide
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Overview

What happened

On May 18, 1944, the Soviet Union carried out one of the most brutal acts of ethnic cleansing in modern history, deporting over 230,000 Crimean Tatars f...

Date

May 18, 1944

Location

Crimea, Soviet Union

Key people

Crimean Tatars, Lavrentiy Beria, Ayse

Why it matters

This article distinguishes itself from Wikipedia by centering Crimean Tatar voices through direct quotations from survivors like Ayşe and Mustafa Dzhemilev, while integrating declass...

What was Genocide?

Genocide is the partial or total destruction of a human group, committed intentionally. The popular view conceives of genocide as the large-scale killing of individuals, but in the scholarly and legal fields, genocide occurs when the group itself is targeted. Acts of genocide include killing as well as non-lethal acts such as preventing reproduction among the group, the forcible transfer of children to another group, and cultural genocide. The term genocide was coined by Polish-Jewish lawyer Raphael Lemkin in the early 1940s. Lemkin lobbied for genocide to be outlawed by international treaty, but the Genocide Convention restricted his initially broad definition to five specific acts "committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such".

Relocation camp for survivors of the Anfal genocide
Relocation camp for survivors of the Anfal genocide
Related books
War & genocide cover War & genocide Doris L. Bergen · 2002 A Problem from Hell cover A Problem from Hell Samantha Power · 2002 The architect of genocide cover The architect of genocide Richard Breitman · 1991 When victims become killers cover When victims become killers Mahmood Mamdani · 2001 What Is Genocide? cover What Is Genocide? Martin Shaw · 2007
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Background and consequences

Its definition remains contested by scholars and institutions across international law, history, sociology and related fields. Genocide has occurred throughout human history, even during prehistoric times. Most genocides have occurred during wartime, and they are particularly likely in situations of imperial expansion and power consolidation.

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Related on thisDay

Crimean Tatar Deportation — May 18, 1944

230,000 Crimean Tatars vanished in 1944 as Soviet forces swept through Crimea, leaving devastation in their wake that lasted decades

Use the dated article for the day-specific account; use these references to check the event record and explore its wider historical context.

Date article: Crimean Tatar Deportation — May 18, 1944Wikipedia source
Cite this page
MLA

“Genocide.” thisDay, thisday.info/history/genocide/. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

APA

Genocide. (n.d.). thisDay. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://thisday.info/history/genocide/

Chicago

“Genocide.” thisDay. Accessed October 19, 2026. https://thisday.info/history/genocide/.

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