Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda

Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda is a book by Roméo Dallaire, the commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) during the Rwandan genocide in 1994. The book details Dallaire's firsthand account of the genocide, where over 800,000 people, primarily Tutsi, were murdered.12

Dallaire recounts his efforts to prevent the violence and his frustration with the UN's inaction and lack of resources. Despite pleas for reinforcements, UNAMIR remained a lightly armed force, unable to intervene effectively. The book highlights the international community's failure to act and the devastating consequences of this inaction. Dallaire also discusses his personal struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder following his experiences in Rwanda. The book serves as a powerful testament to the horrors of the genocide and a critique of the global response.1