Which, if any, of the four atrocity crimes would you define as a crime against humanity or a war crime? To help you with your answer, you can revisit your table from the lesson and review these terms at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website on the page titled “Definitions: Types of Mass Atrocities.”
Based on the definitions provided by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, all four of the atrocity crimes listed (genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing) can be defined as crimes against humanity or war crimes.
Genocide is considered a crime against humanity as well as a war crime, as it involves the deliberate killing of a large group of people, particularly those of a specific ethnic or national group.
Crimes against humanity include a range of acts committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population. These acts can include murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, and other inhumane acts.
War crimes are defined as acts committed during armed conflict that violate international humanitarian law. This can include targeting civilians, using prohibited weapons, or intentionally causing great suffering.
Ethnic cleansing, while not specifically mentioned on the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website, is also considered a crime against humanity. It involves the systematic forced removal or extermination of individuals based on their ethnic or religious identity.