Genocidal Conscription: Drafting Victims and Perpetrators under the Guise of War

Genocidal Conscription explores how mandatory military service is used by states to capture and kill genocide victims by recruiting perpetrators from other minorities. It highlights the connections between military history, Holocaust studies, and genocide, and proposes a framework to understand wartime casualties, Clausewitzian wastage, and genocidal massacres. The book compares the policies of two genocidal regimes during World War I and II and suggests that several states are at risk of carrying out genocidal conscription today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 204 pages
Publication date: 15 July 2023
Publisher: Lexington Books

Genocidal Conscription delves into the disturbing practice of some states utilizing mandatory military service as a tool to perpetrate and orchestrate genocide by enlisting perpetrators from minority groups, effectively shifting blame away from the state. This thought-provoking book highlights several intricate intersections between military history, Holocaust studies, and genocide, providing a comprehensive framework that encompasses the intentions and outcomes of wartime casualties, Clausewitzian wastage, and genocidal massacres.

In his meticulously researched work, Christopher Harrison meticulously traces and compares the implementation of military service policies by two genocidal regimes during World War I and World War II: the Ottoman Empire and Axis-era Hungary. Through this historical comparative analysis, Harrison sheds light on the strategies employed by these regimes to capture and destroy their targets amidst the chaos and carnage of modern warfare.

Following this insightful historical exploration, the author summarizes the relevant implications and ongoing concerns related to genocidal conscription. The conclusion offers valuable insights into the practices of contemporary authoritarian regimes, highlighting the risks and potential consequences of such policies.

Through its examination of these histories and crises, Genocidal Conscription raises alarming concerns about the potential for states to resort to genocidal conscription in the present day. While acknowledging the challenges and improbability of such actions due to political disincentives, the analysis nonetheless considers reforms that can be implemented to prevent states from repeating similar policies and actions in the future.

This thought-provoking book serves as a crucial reminder of the enduring dangers of genocide and the urgent need for global efforts to prevent and respond to such atrocities. It encourages readers to confront the dark chapters of history and work towards a world where the horrors of genocide are never repeated.

Weight: 476g
Dimension: 237 x 158 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781666925678