The Armenian Genocide as Prescursor and Prototype of Twentieth-Century Genocide Chapter 7

Robert Melson writes about how the Armenian Genocide was the prototype of all genocides that followed it. Melson writes that Armenians, always considered inferior to many Ottomans, were the blunt of many of Ottomans persecution because many Armenians became wealthy and better educated. He writes when Pan-Turkism lifted off, the minorities in trouble. By 1915, Armenians who were in the army were killed or worked to death. Later on the Armenians were deported and the massacre began. Melson points out the similarities between the Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust. One similarly that stands out that both were ethno-religious minorities and at the time experiencing growth and prosperity. He also wrote about the differences and one was that the Turks massacred the Armenians rather than death camps. Also in the chapter, Melson writes about the Nigerian genocides and Bosnian genocides and how the Armenian Genocide compares to each. The Armenian Genocide was perhaps the first major genocide in history and Melson shows how much history is still shaped by it.

Genocide is a rather new term. Should historians go farther back to study ancient example of genocides?

The Holocaust is unique in terms of historical and social importance. Should historians look at all genocides as being a unique phenomenon or influence in some way by the Holocaust?