A
Good Man in Hell: Rwanda and the Western Response
Robert Hadley
Clackamas High School
US History/11th Grade
Name of Unit: United
States Foreign Policy in Post Cold War Era
Time Frame of Lesson:
1 class period (60 minute period)
Rationale: The
purpose of this lesson is to explore US Foreign policy. This lesson
will be part of a larger unit that is designed for students to think
critically about the United States role in the world we live in. The
specific lesson is designed for students to explore the complexity of
United States and United Nations decision-making and its impact on individuals.
Students will also confront the issue of the impact of colonialism on
Africa today and the issue of racism inherent in Western response to
problems in Africa.
Lesson Objectives:
Primary Sources:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/warning/cable.html
Technology needed:
DVD/VHD "A
Good Man In Hell" from United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
(Available free upon request)
Selected clips from "Hotel Rwanda"
Procedure:
Prep:
In this lesson you will explore one of the worst and quickest Genocides
of the 20th Century. This took place in 1994 in the Central African
Country of Rwanda. The peace deal signed between the Hutu controlled
government and the Tutsi through the Arusha accords was in the process
of implementation. The United Nations sent in over 1000 peacekeepers
under the command of General Dallaire (Canada) to assist in the process
of implementing the accords.
On April 6, 1994
Rwandan President Habyarimana's plane was shot down and he was killed
along with the President of Burundi. This set off a signal for mass
killings of Tutsi by the majority Hutu. They had planned this event
for some time and all indications point to the downing of the plane
being done by Hutu extremists. Over the next 10 weeks some 800,000 Tutsi
and moderate were murdered by Hutus all over the country. This lesson
will explore the response to the Genocide by the Western Powers and
the United Nations.
For this lesson
you might start by showing select clips from the Movie Hotel Rwanda.
The scene where the United Nations is pulling every Western person from
the country is helpful to understand the indifference the west had.
Also the scene where hotel manager Paul Rusesabagina calls western contacts
seeking help (two scenes like this in the film) shows that with a little
effort much could have been done to intervene.
Lesson:
1. Pass out the cable warning that General Dallaire sent to the UN about
mass killings being planned.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/evil/warning/cable.html
Ask these questions
to prompt class discussion:
a. What do you think the General should have done with this information?
His orders were simply to observe the situation.
b. What should the United Nations do with this information? Ask yourself
is it reliable information? Should the UN change its orders for the
General?
c. Considering we are the leader in the world...what should the United
States do with this information? Remember the United States was best
prepared to deal militarily with such an issue. Remember also the US
had been dealt a blow only a year earlier in Somalia (see Black Hawk
Down for reference). How do you think that might influence our reaction?
2. Now watch the
12-minute video called "A
Good Man in Hell" After viewing this film, prompt class discussion
with the following three questions.
d. If the United
States had responded and asked for volunteers to go to Rwanda in order
to prevent the possibility of Genocide, would you volunteer? Explain
e. Should the United States ever respond when we have no interest outside
of Humanitarian ones in a conflict? (compare our intervention into Iraq
with our non action in Rwanda)
f. If the US does act, should it do so on its own? or with the United
Nations? Explain why?
3. As a wrap up
for this discussion, Have your students respond in writing to the following
question
History never records
the actions not taken. The "what if's" always leave us with
the unknown of what we prevented in taking action. How does this leave
leaders in a difficult bind when confronted with issues like Rwanda?
Assessment:
You can assess student responses primarily to the interaction of students
in the class discussion. You can also assess students written responses
to the last question.
