Using The Holocaust as a Frame of Reference for Understanding the Rwandan Genocide

A Historical Comparison

Abstract

When a conflict can catch the world's attention, it is essential to understand it correctly. Understanding an event correctly is critical when discussing events like Rwandan Genocide. Even though this only lasted 100 days, it fundamentally changed how several countries participated in the international community. Due to the ephemeral nature in which the genocide happened, a historical analogy like the Holocaust becomes extremely useful to help others understand some very complex background that led up to both conflicts. Even though a surface-level analysis may find few deep connections between the events of The Holocaust in Germany and the Rwandan Genocide, upon more profound research, one thing is apparent- if one is trying to understand Rwanda, then Germany is an apt place to begin. The nature of deep-ceded hatred and planning towards total extermination, while not the first of its kind, was shown to have holistic and systematic approaches to the everyday lives of both Rwandans and Germans that allowed for this hatred to grow in a manner in which those in power thought it was natural to hate those who were being targeted for complete genocide indeed. The Rwandan Genocide was an event that captured the attention of the world, so using an analogy that speaks to more than just the direct days of the conflict allows for the possibility for the world to learn from such tragedies and try to identify signs to stop such tragedies from happening again in the future.