Rosenbaum Chapter 7

In Robert F. Melson's essay, "The Armenian Genocide as Precursor and Prototype of Twentieth-Century Genocide," Melson argues the first total genocide was that of the Armenians and that in fact it was the basis for all future genocides, including the Holocaust. Melson compares the Armenian genocide to a third world genocide in Nigeria in which both states "attempted to establish the hegemony of a leading ethnic group over other ethnic segments of society." (131) As is also the case in Yugoslavia and the Holocaust. However, Melson does agree that there are differences between the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust. In particular, the use of death camps by the Nazis.