Killing by Starvation - A Man-Made Famine Kills Millions
The Holodomor led to the death of millions of Ukrainians and has been considered genocide at the hands of the Soviet Union by many.
This past November, European Parliament passed a resolution recognizing a famine inflicted on Ukraine as an act of genocide. The famine is known as the Holodomor and resulted in the deaths of millions of Ukrainians.
The Holodomor, which translated in Ukrainian means ‘to kill by starvation,’ was a famine that befell Ukraine in from 1932 to 1933. Famines have killed many in civilizations throughout history. The Holodomor was no different. However it is interesting it was man-made. And some believe the famine was a deliberate act.
Visions of a Communist Economy
During the 1920s and early 1930s, the Soviet Union enjoyed a period of rapid industrialization. At the time, Ukraine was a part of the Soviet Union. Joseph Stalin was in control and desired to create a full Communist economy.
To do so would require enacting harsh social-economic policies. Policies like collectivization. Under Stalin’s plans, individual-owned farms became state-run collectives. Local subsistence farmers in Ukraine opposed and refused to give up their land.
Stunting Any Independent Movements
Stalin and the Soviets sensed the seeds of an independent movement growing. They quickly labeled the resistant farmers as ‘Kulaks’ and enemies of the state. Soviet officials and Stalin’s secret police began taking the farms by force.
It is believed Stalin intended to transform Ukraine into a socialist nation. And to do so may include the destruction of certain sections of its population.
Some of the policies enacted by Stalin targeted the Orthodox Church. He deemed it a ‘nationalist, political, counter-revolutionary organization.’ Financial support to those churches and their schools were cut, forcing them to shut down.
A Bad Policy and Forecasted Food Shortage
Meanwhile, the policy of collectivization was not going well. At home, Stalin’s wife, who was opposed to the idea, took her life. Stalin’s watched as his hallmark policy failed. As autumn of 1932 approached, concerns grew around Ukraine’s grain harvest.
Ukraine was counted on as one of the largest grain-producing states in the Soviet Union. This status resulted in grossly overestimated grain quotas. And with winter on the horizon, Ukraine was going to miss their quota by nearly 60 percent.
For failing to meet their quota, Stalin ordered the confiscation of any grain Ukrainians did have. Stalin’s great plans for a thriving communist economy were crashing. For those that refused the extraction of grain, imprisonment or exile awaited.
At the end of 1931’s harvest, the Soviets had collected 7.2 million tons of food. Their take home from the 1932 harvest was 4.3 million tons. As winter approached, rations were drastically cut.
The Famine Starts Taking its Toll
Reports of mass malnutrition and death from starvation began to emerge from Umar in January 1933. By mid-March, the majority of these reports came from Kyiv. The situation was so dire that struggling survivors feared resorting to cannibalism to stay alive. The Soviets in turn printed posters proclaiming anyone who would eat their own children a barbarian.
Soviet officials scoured the landscape, arresting anyone they believed to be hiding grain. Meanwhile, in search of food, a wave of mass migration began. The Soviets responded and banned travel by rail. Nearly 225,000 people were intercepted and arrested or escorted back to their district.
Despite the Soviet’s best efforts, the disaster’s scale became more broadly known. When the Germans occupied Ukraine, they allowed publication of articles about the Holodomor and other communist atrocities.
A Shocking Death Toll
Estimates put the death toll of the Holodomor somewhere between 4 and 10 million. Scholarship estimates settle on the lower end of the range. For reference, estimates place Holocaust deaths at approximately 6 million.
One can see the consequences of the Holodomor in the demographics as well. Between 1926 and 1939, Russia and Belarus populations grew by 16.9 and 11.7 percent, respectively. The Ukrainian population grew by half at 6.6 percent. Some of the Ukrainian growth however was the result of Soviet resettlement. Deserted farms were granted to Soviet Russians.
Most striking is the data from an estimate in 1981. It is believed that 81 percent of the Holodomor’s victims were ethnic Ukrainians. In comparison to 4.5% of Russians.
Modern Day Debate: Genocide or Crimes Against Humanity
Scholars continue to debate whether the man-made Soviet famine was a central act of genocide. Counter arguments believe one cannot underestimate the impacts of rapid Soviet industrialization and the collectivization of agriculture.
The debate of the Holodomor being genocide is contentious, even today. Some believe it an extensive Russification experiment aimed at exterminating a Ukrainian nation. Others believe it a crime against humanity, but stop short of classifying it genocide. And some believe it is the tragic result of natural conditions, failed economic policy, and governmental incompetence.
Today, Ukraine observes Holodomor Memorial Day on the fourth Saturday of November. A minute of silence is held at four p.m. Flags fly at half-mast. Entertainment broadcasts are restricted. Holodomor memorials are in many towns across the country - and in some cases, other countries as well.
History for the Hurried:
February 24, 1867: President Andrew Johnson is impeached by the House of Representatives. However, the effort to remove him from office failed by one vote in the Senate.
February 28, 1986: Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme is assassinated in Stockholm while exiting a movie theater with his wife.