The Top 10 Worst Genocides in History

What Was the Biggest Genocide in Human History?

Throughout world history, numerous dictators and regimes have committed unimaginable acts against their own people and neighboring populations. From Darfur to the Holodomor, this work examines the 10 worst genocides in human history. It provides a brief history of each event, as well as an analysis of their overall social, political, and economic impact.

By reading this, I hope you will gain a better understanding (and appreciation) of these tragic events. After all, forgetting crimes of this magnitude is an unforgivable offense that dishonors the countless innocent lives lost.

Selection Criteria

To rank the world's deadliest genocides, several criteria were necessary for the extent and purposes of this work. First and foremost, each of the genocides described below were ranked according to their estimated death toll. Although there were some challenges in obtaining precise figures, this work relies exclusively on credible scholarly estimates to provide the most accurate assessments possible.

Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, it is crucial to understand that not all genocides result in mass killing. Some involve the forcible transfer of entire populations from one location to another, while others aim to prevent births within a specific group of people or culture.

As a result, deaths (or population drops) may occur several years after the event occurred. This is especially true for victims of government-sponsored famines. For this reason, it was important to consider possible deaths that aren't counted in the official "death tolls" listed by scholars and historical records.

While these criteria have several shortcomings, the author believes they are the best means of ranking the 10 worst genocides in human history.

The 10 Largest and Deadliest Genocides in History

• Bangladesh Genocide
• Darfur Genocide
• Rwandan Genocide
• Armenian Genocide
• Circassian Genocide
• Khmer Rouge "Killing Fields"
• Holodomor
• The Holocaust
• The Great Leap Forward
• Mongol Invasions and Conquests

What Is a Genocide?

Before we get started, it's important to understand the definition of "genocide." Over the last few decades, defining this term has been difficult for scholars and legal analysts. Nevertheless, current definitions by the United Nations describe it as a deliberate intent to destroy (in whole or in part) a "national, ethnic, racial, or religious group." As of 2024, five categories of genocide have been identified. These include:

1. Killing members of a specific group.
2. Infliction of serious harm (either mental or physical) upon members of a specific group.
3. Calculating and attempting to bring about physical destruction upon specific groups.
4. Imposing specific measures which aim to prevent births within an ethnic group or people.
5. Forcibly transferring (internally or externally) groups of people to another area as part of a relocation program, or attempting to assimilate them with others.

10. Bangladesh Genocide

• Date of Event: 26 March 1971
• Location: East Pakistan
• Estimated Death Toll: 200,000 to 3,000,000 People

The Bangladesh Genocide was a mass killing that occurred on 26 March 1971, following the launch of "Operation Searchlight" by Western Pakistan. Serving as a "military crackdown" against the Eastern wing of the country (now known as Bangladesh), Bengalis were systematically raped, tortured, and killed by both the Pakistani military and Islamic extremist militias due to their desire for self-determination and independence.

Does Pakistan Recognize the Bangladesh Genocide?

The state-wide killing spree lasted for approximately nine months before finally coming to an end in December of that same year. Although Pakistan has denied the genocide for several decades, attempts by various army officers (along with international pressure) have succeeded in bringing a number of its active participants to justice.

Nevertheless, with thousands of individuals participating in the slaughter that ensued, scholars are quick to point out that the vast majority of individuals who partook in the bloodshed are still at large.

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Impact of the Bangladesh Genocide

The overall death toll for the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 is difficult to determine. This is due to a lack of credible sources and censorship by the Pakistani government. Currently, it is estimated that approximately 200,000 to three million Bengali men, women, and children were killed during the crackdown.

One of the worst crimes perpetuated by the Pakistani government was the public call for Bengali women to be raped. In total, nearly 200,000 to 400,000 women were sexually assaulted (with many being killed after the act was performed).

In addition to mass killing and rape, the conflict displaced millions of people who lived in the area. Approximately eight million Hindus fled to neighboring India, while an additional 30 million people were internally displaced with no home or shelter.

To date, the Pakistani government continues to deny any wrongdoing in the event. Scholars are quick to point out, however, that the mass killing was a clear case of genocide, as it fits the original United Nations' definition that was established in decades prior. For many scholars, the Bangladesh Genocide of 1971 is considered one of the worst genocides in human history, as its death toll, level of violence, and displacement of millions was virtually unparalleled.

9. Darfur Genocide

• Date of Event: 23 February 2003 to Present
• Location: Darfur, Sudan
• Estimated Death Toll: 80,000 to 500,000 People (and climbing)

The Darfur Genocide refers to an ongoing mass killing of ethnic Darfuri people in Western Sudan. The conflict began in February 2003, but quickly spiraled out of control, resulting in one of the worst genocides of the modern age.

Both the Khartoum government and Janjaweed are believed to be the two primary perpetrators of the event and have used prior civil wars and social unrest as an excuse for their systematic killing of the Darfuri people. Of the numerous tribes involved in the mass killing, the Fur, Masalit, and Zaghawa appear to be the primary victims of this tragic situation.

What Is Currently Happening in Darfur?

Despite indictments by the International Criminal Court (ICC) and United Nations against the Khartoum government (and its cadres), mass killing continues to unfold on the ground today; albeit at a much slower pace than in years prior. This is largely due to the fact that the United Nations has refused to intervene with peacekeepers. They have also failed to enact sufficient sanctions against the Sudanese government, which could have prevented many of these crimes altogether. In many ways, the Darfur Genocide is an act of terror that has transpired with little interference from the outside world.

Impact of the Darfur Genocide

It is currently estimated that the Darfur Genocide has been responsible for nearly 80,000 to 500,000 deaths in Sudan. However, these figures obscure the total number of people that have been affected by atrocities committed by the Khartoum government and Janjaweed, such as rape, torture, and displacement from their homes.

As of May 2024, it is estimated that nearly three million people (including men, women, and children) have suffered beatings, rape, and torture at the hands of these political entities. Likewise, it is also important to note that these numbers are continuing to rise, albeit at a relatively slow pace for the time being.

For these reasons, the Darfur Genocide is perhaps one of the worst genocides to have occurred in modern memory. Without outside assistance, the atrocities will likely continue for the foreseeable future, with devastating results for the Sudanese people.

8. Rwandan Genocide

• Date of Event: 7 April to 15 July 1994
• Location: Rwanda
• Estimated Death Toll: 800,000+ People

The Rwandan Genocide refers to a mass killing that occurred during the Rwandan Civil War in 1994. For 100 days, members of the Tutsi minority were systematically slaughtered by a Hutu-led campaign of mass murder.

Aided by government forces, police officials, and soldiers, Hutu militias (using rifles and machetes) went house to house searching for Tutsi men, women, and children, slaughtering any individual that they came across. To date, the event is considered one of the worst genocides in modern history, with a level of violence that exceeded anyone’s expectations.

Origins of the Rwandan Genocide

Although the origins of the mass killing were initially blamed on the assassination of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana (whom the Hutu falsely claimed had been murdered by Tutsis), the conflict’s actual origins can be traced to decades prior.

During Belgian rule, the colonial government instituted a separation of Hutus and Tutsis, favoring the Tutsis and placing them in greater leadership roles within the country. The systematic divide led to tremendous resentment in the years that followed, culminating in unresolved tension that provoked the Hutus to steal, rape, and kill for basic human rights.

Impact of the Rwandan Genocide

According to most modern estimates, the Rwandan Genocide claimed approximately 800,000 men, women, and children. However, this figure does not account for the millions who were displaced, tortured, and raped as a result of the genocidal campaign carried out by the Hutus. Scholars currently estimate that nearly two million people fled the country, while an additional one million individuals lost their homes and businesses.

The psychological effect of the tragedy was also detrimental to the children that survived. It is currently believed that over 75,000 children lost at least one of their parents in the violence, forcing many of them to fend for themselves in a country bent on their suppression. When taken together, it is not difficult to see why the Rwandan Genocide of 1994 was one of the worst manmade disasters in history.