History of War Crimes

Genocide: the systematic annihilation of a group of people for simply being who they are, whether in ethnic, religious or social terms. It has been with us since the beginning of history. The most widely-studied and catastrophic examples are, however, historically close: the Nazi Holocaust against the Jew, ethnic cleansing in Bosnia, and tribal warfare in Rwanda. Genocide is unfortunately a key feature of the study of world history at nearly every level. The Encyclopedia of Genocide and Crimes against Humanity spans the globe to explain the issues behind crimes against humanity and human rights issues as they relate to individual countries and the world at large. It traces the history of events that qualify as genocide and crimes against humanity, profiles perpetrators and heroes, and explains international laws and law proceedings aimed at ending genocide and crimes against humanity at specific groups or at least punishing those who have committed such crimes.

This A-to-Z encyclopaedia examines the entire history of crimes against humanity, during both wartime and peacetime. With more than 450 entries, the encyclopaedia covers a wide range of relevant topics: human rights, war criminals, trials of war crimes, examples of genocide, international organizations and international law concerning war crimes, and many more. Also included is a primary resources section with documents that are vital to understanding this subject. The coverage includes: Amnesty International; Klaus Barbie; Geneva Conventions; Saddam Hussein; Kosovo; North Korea; Pol Pot; Rwanda; Shining Path; Taliban; Desmond Tutu; and Simon Wiesenthal.