It wouldn't make sense to say that the Holocaust wasn't genocidal because Hitler didn't succeed in finishing off every single Jew.
But that's all in how you look at it. True, Hitler failed to murder them all but he is guilty of the crime of trying to commit genocide. Whereas, Cortés and his fellow conquistadors succeeded in wiping out the Aztec people and much of their culture (although, a South American friend of mine tells me that there are still individuals with Aztec blood alive today, so that attempt at genocide failed too). Complete genocide would be very difficult to accomplish. In my mind, the crime is in the intent and the attempt, not just in the success.
The rest of your post is very thought-provoking. Thank you for that.
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branchandroot
Re: Definition of Genocide
Date: 2025-04-09 05:27 pm (UTC)But that's all in how you look at it. True, Hitler failed to murder them all but he is guilty of the crime of trying to commit genocide. Whereas, Cortés and his fellow conquistadors succeeded in wiping out the Aztec people and much of their culture (although, a South American friend of mine tells me that there are still individuals with Aztec blood alive today, so that attempt at genocide failed too). Complete genocide would be very difficult to accomplish. In my mind, the crime is in the intent and the attempt, not just in the success.
The rest of your post is very thought-provoking. Thank you for that.
Caldathras