Deaths in wars and conflicts in the 20th century

Abstract

This article examines the number of deaths caused by wars and conflicts in the 20th century. The author compiled data on wars and war-related deaths across the globe, including those caused by famine and disease, and determined a total of 231 million deaths in the 20th century, a figure significantly higher than previous estimates. The article argues that the international community’s lack of willingness to intervene in cases of genocide and other atrocities has led to the deaths of millions of civilians. The author analyzes a series of cases from the latter half of the 20th century, including events in Somalia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Congo and Darfur, Sudan, in order to illustrate the failure of the international community to act. The author argues that “common security” and similar concepts are insufficient to address the problem of state-sponsored violence. The article concludes by arguing that the international community must commit itself to taking a more forceful stance on protecting civilians from violence, and that the United Nations must be empowered to act in such situations with greater efficiency and decisiveness. – AI-generated abstract