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3rd out of 45 books
—
33 voters
Shake Hands with the Devil: The Failure of Humanity in Rwanda
On the 10th anniversary of when UN peacekeepers landed in Rwanda, Random House Canada proudly publishes the unforgettable 1st-hand account of the genocide by the leader of the mission. Digging deep into shattering memories, Dallaire has written a powerful story of betrayal, naïveté, racism & international politics. His message is simple, undeniable: Never again. When L...more
Paperback, 562 pages
Published
December 21st 2004
by Da Capo Press
(first published October 21st 2003)
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This is such an important book, but a very tough one to get through because it is filled with stuff that will make you want to tear your hair out in frustration, hang your head in shame, and boil your brain in bleach to remove the terrible images seared into it. It is no wonder that General Dallaire is still traumatized after this experience, and he has my admiration for mustering his strength and courage to write it all down, just as he has my admiration for refusing to turn his back on the peo...more
Dallaire's powerful memoir is important, graphic, and undeniable. It is, however, a tough read because of the disturbing events he describes and the even more disturbing lack of action on behalf of Rwanda's victims. Its historic importance and brutal honesty earns it five stars.
The story of a genocide and the trauma of the witnesses. “Never again” we see repeated in museums and memorial guest books but we keep letting it happen. Notice “we let” not just “it continues”. It is a conscious decision to ignore the plight of people caught in a civil war...neither their government nor the insurgents care about these people so why should we. We can’t take sides...by our inaction we take sides. If there is vast carbon based mineral resources...then we take sides to liberate a c...more
This is the unforgetable account of Lt Gen Romeo Dallaire, Force Commander of the UN Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR). When he first arrived in Rwanda, he was brimming with confidence at the prospect of successfully maintaining the peace and ushering in the country's transitional government. What he encountered, however, was a UN administration that was distracted by other theaters and hamstrung by a bewildering bureaucracy, and Western Powers unwilling to commit even a single soldier or c...more
An excellent chronological view of the Rwanda genocide as seen by the Canadian general in charge of UN security in the country. Ostensibly this assignment was for him to take a skeletal force of UN troops from a few nations and provide security for the implementation of a peace agreement and the installation of a transitional government. A great keyhole view into the problems of UN peacekeeping. I admire his tenacious adherence to his duty in light of absolute chaos and terror going on around hi...more
Dallaire's words are powerful and exceptionally important in our ever-shrinking world. His strength is admirable-how he got through the telling of his experiences in Rwanda, is a marvel. He is dignified, honest, and humble in the telling. This is a must-read for anyone interested in foreign policy matters of the West.
My review, published in February 2004.
Shake Hands with the Devil
Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire
****
If there was any doubt about the nature of Lt. Gen Roméo Dallaire’s Shake Hands With The Devil, let me be clear: This is not casual reading.
At 562 pages, this is an eyewitness account of the story behind the story of how at least 800,000 Rwandans were brutally slain at the hands of their countrymen in an orgy of killing through the spring and summer of 1994.
As the force commander for the United Nations Ass...more
Shake Hands with the Devil
Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire
****
If there was any doubt about the nature of Lt. Gen Roméo Dallaire’s Shake Hands With The Devil, let me be clear: This is not casual reading.
At 562 pages, this is an eyewitness account of the story behind the story of how at least 800,000 Rwandans were brutally slain at the hands of their countrymen in an orgy of killing through the spring and summer of 1994.
As the force commander for the United Nations Ass...more
Because Dallaire recounts the story of the Rwandan genocide from a first-person military/diplomatic and outsider point of view in Rwanda before, during and after the height of the killing in 1994 in Rwanda, this book is an important narrative for us all to read as global citizens in the 21st century. Complex civil war/warcrimes/genocide in Africa, civil-military relations, United Nations peacekeeping, realpolitik and its tension with international human rigths and humanitarian norms are all topi...more
My review, published in February 2004.
Shake Hands with the Devil
Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire
****
If there was any doubt about the nature of Lt. Gen Roméo Dallaire’s Shake Hands With The Devil, let me be clear: This is not casual reading.
At 562 pages, this is an eyewitness account of the story behind the story of how at least 800,000 Rwandans were brutally slain at the hands of their countrymen in an orgy of killing through the spring and summer of 1994.
As the force commander for the United Nations Ass...more
Shake Hands with the Devil
Lt. Gen. Roméo Dallaire
****
If there was any doubt about the nature of Lt. Gen Roméo Dallaire’s Shake Hands With The Devil, let me be clear: This is not casual reading.
At 562 pages, this is an eyewitness account of the story behind the story of how at least 800,000 Rwandans were brutally slain at the hands of their countrymen in an orgy of killing through the spring and summer of 1994.
As the force commander for the United Nations Ass...more
Those interested in military or African history will find much of interest here, as will those who are interested in the inner (and outer) workings of the U. N. and its peacekeeping missions. Dallaire shows the failure of the UN and Western nations to intervene adequately in the Rwandan genocide. But history is not without its witnesses, and Dallaire and his soldiers provide a record of the nation of Rwanda's descent into hell. This descent includes the gang-rape and murder of children and the u...more
6 likes · like · see review
A very raw first person account of the 1994 genocide in Rwanda,
as seen by the military commander of the UN peacekeeping mission
in place at the time. Dallaire does not try to over-analyze
everything or conjecture what everybody was thinking or not at the
time. He simply tells of his experience in Rwanda, what he saw,
what he heard, and what he felt.
Dallaire is a French Canadian who grew up in Montréal,
torn between English- and French-speaking factions of youth, trying
to rise through the ranks of a C...more
as seen by the military commander of the UN peacekeeping mission
in place at the time. Dallaire does not try to over-analyze
everything or conjecture what everybody was thinking or not at the
time. He simply tells of his experience in Rwanda, what he saw,
what he heard, and what he felt.
Dallaire is a French Canadian who grew up in Montréal,
torn between English- and French-speaking factions of youth, trying
to rise through the ranks of a C...more
This is an absolutely stunning insider's look at the travesty of the Rwanda genocide and the United Nations mission led by General Romeo Dallaire.
The book explores two stories. The first being General Dallaire's personal journey from a strong, confident warrior to the broken, suicidal man he became upon his return to Canada. A man consumed by the guilt and the horror of a genocide that very well could have been prevented had his warnings to the United Nations been heeded and had he been given th...more
The book explores two stories. The first being General Dallaire's personal journey from a strong, confident warrior to the broken, suicidal man he became upon his return to Canada. A man consumed by the guilt and the horror of a genocide that very well could have been prevented had his warnings to the United Nations been heeded and had he been given th...more
I had the honour of meeting Romeo Dallaire a few years ago when he came to do a presentation about his experience in Rwanda and what he as a solder and a leader went though because of it. He may very well be, one of the most honourable men I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.
However, to this day, some of the images haunt me. The child soldiers, the need to make instant decisions that were life changing, what the face of war really means. (just ask the toddler he talks about within the first...more
However, to this day, some of the images haunt me. The child soldiers, the need to make instant decisions that were life changing, what the face of war really means. (just ask the toddler he talks about within the first...more
1 like · like · see review
This book, though heavy in military jargon and very long, was absolutely one of the most stunning books I have ever read. It was gripping, and completely chilling. It is the deeply personal story of Romeo Daillaire, the head of the UN Peacekeeping mission for Rwanda during the genocide/war and how he witnessed, literally, the abandonment of humanity by humanity.
It is worth your time to read this book. I plan to read it again soon.
It is worth your time to read this book. I plan to read it again soon.
This book was very difficult to read, but I am glad I did. It is immensely powerful and frustrating, and gives an in-depth look at the decisions made throughout the genocide by all involved parties and the consequences of those decisions. I wouldn't recommend it as an introduction to the Rwandan genocide, because some terminology might be confusing (and some descriptions of events even more shocking) if you do not have any background in the subject, but as long as you have at least a basic under...more
This book is really long. I know that some ppl are afraid to read it in case they are left forever traumatized by the gore, but it's not actually that shocking because he doesn't focus on the blood and guts very much, and when he does mention them, i found that they were too hard to imagine to shake me up. Mostly, he described the actual progress of the UNIMIR from his point of view as the military pooh-bah of the mission. I thought the most interesting thing was de-mystifying how a peacekeeping...more
This is more of a indictment document rather than a book. The accusation by an unassuming, innocent, devoted army man who was helplessly put into his position to bear witness to the ugliest face of human cruelty on an unimaginable scale. I am still at loss of words how this brave man has survived after all that he has been through, when just reading the book has made me unimaginably melancholic, at loss for emotions. This book is not for those carefree souls and who cherish that attitude because...more
General Dallaire recounts the events leading up to the Rwandan genocide from his perspective as a UN commandeer in charge of implementing a little known peace treaty between Rwandan parties - the implementation if it had been carried out could have prevented a deliberate carefully planned attempt by extremists to eradicate a portion of the country's population and come to power.
As carefully spelled out in his narrative, this was not a "spontaneous spasm of horrific violence" as often characteriz...more
As carefully spelled out in his narrative, this was not a "spontaneous spasm of horrific violence" as often characteriz...more
I've never read a book that made me so angry.
The author is Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian who was the force commander of UNAMIR, the UN mission charged with steering Rwanda through the Arusha Accords. In this memoir, Dallaire recalls in detail the day-to-day struggle of UNAMIR to accomplish its mission, from the time he landed in Rwanda in September of 1993, through the 100 day genocide beginning in April, all the way through the conclusion of his tour in August.
For me, the book was a page turner....more
The author is Romeo Dallaire, the Canadian who was the force commander of UNAMIR, the UN mission charged with steering Rwanda through the Arusha Accords. In this memoir, Dallaire recalls in detail the day-to-day struggle of UNAMIR to accomplish its mission, from the time he landed in Rwanda in September of 1993, through the 100 day genocide beginning in April, all the way through the conclusion of his tour in August.
For me, the book was a page turner....more
Jan 05, 2012
Misa St.Cloud
marked it as to-read
So I became very interested in Rwandan genocide after I read the Novel Night The poor book is weeping for me to write a review on it for my English class. Before we read the book, we had to a presentation on WWII in general and one of the things that struck me the most was that almost everyone was like "We must never allow Holocaust to happen again." And I'm like, "I'm pretty sure that more genocides have occurred since" Well, thanks to one of the most amazing websites on the internet, Wikiped...more
I generally don't like reading books about war, but I do make exceptions, and this was one of them.
Romeo Dallaire told the story that helped him regain his health, his mental health, following what is likely typical of what people who go to war experience (although never having been at war this is pure surmising on my part).
After reading this book I felt that I could see or guess the mistakes that Romeo Dallaire may have made (trusting the higher ups overseas being one of them), but way more tha...more
Romeo Dallaire told the story that helped him regain his health, his mental health, following what is likely typical of what people who go to war experience (although never having been at war this is pure surmising on my part).
After reading this book I felt that I could see or guess the mistakes that Romeo Dallaire may have made (trusting the higher ups overseas being one of them), but way more tha...more
This wasn't an easy book to read. Not only because of its subject matter, but because of the writing style. I think even without the first chapter, where Romeo Dallaire is talking about his childhood and military carreer, you'd know what the book was writen my a military man. This book could have benefited from a better editor.
As far as the context of the book. It was really an eye-opener. I knew a lot about the genocide itself, I read the court documents from the Tribunal, I read survivors and...more
As far as the context of the book. It was really an eye-opener. I knew a lot about the genocide itself, I read the court documents from the Tribunal, I read survivors and...more
This book, written by the UN Commander in Rwanda during the genocide, helps explain how the world looked the other way during the slaughter of nearly a million people in just a few short months. I could not understand how, given that we knew it was happening, we did nothing. This book sheds some light on the politics, the decision makers, and the problems on the ground. The force commander, a Canadian, wanted to do more but all his requests were denied. Though it can be a bit hard to read and a...more
Dallaire's book is a powerful call to action that damns the so called civilised world for its failure to act in the face of Rwanda'a genocide. Dallaire and his companions stand out as rare beacons of light amongst those who refused to act to save Rwanda.
It was a heart wrenching book to read, because it becomes clear that the genocide could have been stopped, but none of the so-called great powers cared, because they did not feel that Rwanda was worth saving. As Dallaire quotes the American offic...more
It was a heart wrenching book to read, because it becomes clear that the genocide could have been stopped, but none of the so-called great powers cared, because they did not feel that Rwanda was worth saving. As Dallaire quotes the American offic...more
An excellent account of the genocide in Rwanda by the UN Force Commander, Lt. General Romeo Dallaire, in charge of the peacekeeping force. However, at 522 pages I had to take a break in the middle of the book. The intensity and tragedy of the events make it difficult to read straight through. I hope to pick it up again soon.
1 like · like · see review
I found this book very hard to read, not due to the gruesomeness of the events that occurred, but because this book is a very detailed account of Dallaire's mission to Rwanda, which began 9 months or so before the genocide begins. As such, there is a lot of things I found really boring...and frustrating. Frustrating for the most part because of the bureaucratic nonsense that Dallaire was up against every single day of the mission. This is worst than anything Kafka could have come up with.
The int...more
The int...more
Whew. This book was recommended to me by a co-worker, as the work we were both doing at the time centered around international criminal law, with the Rwanda genocide being the impetus for the creation of the ICTR, something of a predecessor to the ICC (which we monitored as part of our work).
It was at times difficult to read, not just because of its gruesome subject matter but also because of the writing style. That being said, if there is another book I'm more glad that I read, I'd be hard pre...more
It was at times difficult to read, not just because of its gruesome subject matter but also because of the writing style. That being said, if there is another book I'm more glad that I read, I'd be hard pre...more
In my ongoing interest in the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, I read this book and thoroughly enjoyed it. The author, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dalliare, was the French-Canadian placed in charge of the UN team sent to make sure the Arusha peace accords were implemented properly. He was, therefore, the military UN representative in charge when the peace accords broke down and Rwanda dissolved into conflict and experienced first hand the horrors of mass killings.
He does an excellent job of detailing the international...more
He does an excellent job of detailing the international...more
This must have been extremely cathartic for Dallaire to write, ably supported by Brent Beardsley, as it reflects his most personal thoughts and recollections of the world's collective failure to act against the atrocities being committed in Rwanda. Smacking of dual standards within the UN - their, and the majority of the focus of the West, at the time was in the Former Yugoslavia - it relates the details of the tragedy of Rwanda and the total disregard for human life amongst the protaganists as...more
This is a book that everyone should read. Not an easy book to read - but should be read. The systemic failure of the UN to prevent the genocide, and lack of support from all nations, including Canada for the own troops, simply exemplifies the fact that human lives are cheap. As a world we have not improved from the abominations of the past (Holocaust, Khmer Rouge etc.) If there is no political advantage to helping people the UN or any other country will not intervene. This book tells it as it wa...more
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Lieutenant-General The Honourable Roméo A. Dallaire, O.C., C.M.M., G.O.C, M.S.C., C.D., (Retired), Senator, has had a distinguished career in the Canadian military, achieving the rank of Lieutenant-General and becoming Assistant Deputy Minister (Human Resources) in the Department of National Defence in 1998. In 1994, General Dallaire commanded the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda (UNAM...more
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“I know there is a God because in Rwanda I shook hands with the devil. I have seen him, I have smelled him and I have touched him. I know the devil exists and therefore I know there is a God.”
—
20 people liked it
“Peux ce que veux. Allons-y.”
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4 people liked it
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