Balkan Genocides: Holocaust and Ethnic Cleansing in the Twentieth Century

by Paul Mojzes

During the twentieth century, the Balkan Peninsula was affected by three major waves of genocides and ethnic cleansings, some of which are still being denied today. In Balkan Genocides Paul Mojzes provides a balanced and detailed account of these events, placing them in their proper historical context and debunking the common misrepresentations and misunderstandings of the genocides themselves.

A native of Yugoslavia, Mojzes offers new insights into the Balkan genocides, including a look at the unique role of ethnoreligiosity in these horrific events and a characterization of the first and second Balkan wars as mutual genocides. Mojzes also looks to the region's future, discussing the ongoing trials at the International Criminal Tribunal in Yugoslavia and the prospects for dealing with the lingering issues between Balkan nations and different religions. Balkan Genocides attempts to end the vicious cycle of revenge which has fueled such horrors in the past century by analyzing the terrible events and how they came to pass.

Genres: History, Nonfiction

316 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2011

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have only really read his section about the Genocide of the Serbs of WWII as well as Bleiburg. His work comes across as balanced. Everything I read was well written. It contained excellent information in addition to being poignant as Mojzes highlights that when victims of genocide are forgotten they are destroyed twice. I appreciate Mojzes's use of the term "ethnoreligious" to describe Croatian and Catholic intertwinement during the NDH. I also appreciate his apt description of Serbs who were brutally murdered by the Croatian Ustasha....which he describes as "almost indescribable"...mothers who were served their cooked children at Gacko and a three month old infant who was found inside its mothers belly which was sewn shut with wire. Mojzes is absolutely right, such crimes are "almost indescribable." Thank you Dr. Mojzes.




If only more people would read this book.

[Wendi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Important book for history. Excellent and careful research and writing. As with all genocide historical readings, the material is difficult and confusing...in reality and in trying to decipher. I appreciate the author's material and his transparency.

[Caitlyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book (well, as much as one can enjoy a book discussing the topic of genocide). Though, I have to admit that I'm biased in the sense that I wrote my undergraduate history capstone on aspects of the topics discussed in the book, and therefore didn't mind how "dense" the material is presented.

[Kirk Borger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clearly people suck and everyone in the Balkans sucks and by that I do mean everyone.