Destroy Them Gradually: Displacement as Atrocity

Perpetrators of mass atrocities have used displacement to transport victims to killing sites, extermination camps, forced labor, and attrition, as well as to ethnically homogenize regions and destroy populations by depriving them of vital daily needs. This study examines four cases that illustrate why perpetrators have destroyed populations using displacement policies, such as the German genocide of the Herero (1904–1908), the Ottoman genocides of Christian minorities (1914–1925), the expulsions of Germans from East/Central Europe (1943–1952), and climate violence (twenty-first century).

Format: Hardback
Length: 342 pages
Publication date: 16 February 2024
Publisher: Rutgers University Press

Mass atrocities have been perpetrated by individuals who have employed displacement as a means to transport victims to killing sites, extermination camps, forced labor, and attrition. This strategy has also been used to ethnically homogenize regions by relocating victims from their homes and lands, and to destroy populations by depriving them of essential daily needs. The practice of displacement has often been viewed as a corollary to the crimes committed rather than a central aspect of their perpetration.

To shed light on this issue, Destroying Them Gradually examines four cases that illustrate the use of displacement policies by perpetrators to destroy populations. These cases include:

Germanys genocide of the Herero (1904–1908): During this period, the German government implemented a policy of extermination against the Herero people in Namibia. The Herero were forcibly relocated to concentration camps, where they were subjected to extreme violence and suffering, including mass starvation and disease.

Ottoman genocides of Christian minorities (1914–1925): The Ottoman Empire subjected Christian minorities, such as Armenians, Greeks, and Assyrians, to genocide during World War I. The Ottomans forcibly relocated these minorities to areas where they were likely to face extinction, and they were subjected to horrific atrocities, including mass killings and forced labor.

Expulsions of Germans from East/Central Europe (1943–1952): Following World War II, the Allies expelled Germans from East/Central Europe as part of the process of denazification and re-education. The expulsions were carried out in a systematic and brutal manner, with thousands of Germans being forcibly relocated to other parts of the world.

Climate violence (twenty-first century): Climate change has increasingly become a driver of displacement, with rising sea levels, droughts, and other environmental factors leading to the displacement of millions of people. Climate violence has been particularly devastating in low-lying coastal regions and developing countries, where communities are often unable to adapt to the changing climate and are forced to leave their homes.

These cases demonstrate that displacement has been used as a means of executing destruction rather than a vehicle for moving people to specific locations to commit atrocities. Existing scholarship on mass atrocities often overlooks this aspect of displacement, which contributes to a incomplete understanding of the mechanisms and motivations behind these crimes.

In conclusion, displacement has played a significant role in the perpetration of mass atrocities. By examining these four cases, Destroying Them Gradually highlights the need to recognize displacement as a central aspect of these crimes and to address its impact on victims and communities.

Weight: 626g
Dimension: 235 x 156 x 23 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781978831285