ABSTRACT

Civilians have been murdered in their millions in the years since the end of World War II. Deliberate campaigns of terror have been waged against them by their ethnic and ideological rivals, particularly during civil wars. Racial hatred of the enemy has allowed both regular soldiers and guerrillas to dehumanize their opponents, thereby making atrocities much more likely. Fear of the enemy and the absence of effective command have helped to create the conditions in which even trained troops have carried out terrorist acts.