Final answer:
The Holocaust was the Nazi-led systematic extermination of 6 million Jews and millions of others during World War II. Despite vows of 'Never again,' genocides have persisted, underscoring the importance of understanding their origins.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Holocaust was an unparalleled atrocity in human history, in which the Nazi regime systematically murdered approximately 6 million Jews between 1933 and 1945. This heinous act represented two-thirds of Europe's Jewish population and one-third of the world's Jewish population at the time. The Nazis also targeted other groups, including Romani people, disabled individuals, Polish and Soviet civilians, communists, socialists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and homosexuals, contributing to a death toll that extended well beyond Jewish victims.
The world's subsequent outcry of "Never again" after the Holocaust came to light highlights the global shock at the capacity for human-induced carnage on such a scale. Yet, despite this call to action, genocides continued to occur in Armenia, Bosnia, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Syria. The haunting question remains: How do such widespread atrocities like the Holocaust begin? The answer lies in understanding the dynamics of prejudice, governmental policies, and societal complicity that contribute to the descent into mass violence and genocide.