Both Genocides have similar events that take place, but there are slight differences between the two.
Ethnic CleansingIn both Genocides, an individual group of people were chosen to be exterminated. In the Holocaust, it was the Jewish people. In the Pontic Greek genocide, it was the Pontic Greeks. Both of the oppressors found something wrong with the people being persecuted and wanted to "Cleanse" their country of them.
Forced to leave homesAnother similarity in both genocides is that people were forced to leave their homes to go to another place. Elie was forced to leave his home to go to the concentration camp, just as Sano Halo had to leave her village to embark on her death march and to be exiled.
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Camps vs MarchesOne main difference between these two genocides is that in the Pontic genocide, the majority of people were killed during the death marches they were forced to embark on. In the Holocaust however, the Jewish people were killed in concentration camps, usually after they had worked for a long time and eventually outlived their usefulness.
Exiled vs Kept in country
In the Pontic Genocide, people were exiled and forced to leave the country. The Turks wanted a perfect Turkish society in their own country. Once the Greeks left the country they did not care, they were no longer their problem. In the Holocaust, Hitler wanted to eradicate the Jews once and for all and therefore imprisoned the Jews within countries in his control to keep it a secret.
Why is this important?It is very important to note these similarities and differences so we can tell the signs of a future genocide. If most genocides have similar events that take place, it is important to know them because it would help to recognize a genocide if those events take place again. It is also important to note the differences because it shows that not every genocide is the same. Not every genocide fits the same description, but if the majority of events going on fit the description of genocide, then it is important to note it.
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