In April 1994, the converging forces of history culminated in one of the most brutal crimes against humanity of the 20th century, in the small East African nation of Rwanda. In just one hundred days, according to official estimates, over 800,000 Tutsi men, women and children were massacred at the hands of the Hutu population and majority government (Scheffer, 125). It is estimated that 333 humans were slaughtered per hour during this period (Do Scars Ever Fade). By all accounts, this was a preventable genocide. The most powerful nations in the world have received overwhelming evidence of the massacre of innocent civilians, but have refused to intervene (Ferroggiagio). The seeds of this conflict were planted in 1918, at the end of the First World War. Rwanda had been a protectorate of Germany since 1899. In 1915, Belgian troops took control of Rwanda away from the Germans. The League of Nations officially granted Belgium dominion over Rwanda in 1918. The Belgians immediately began a process of ethnic division based on the existing caste system in Rwanda. Belgium granted indirect authority to the Tutsi minority. The Tutsi were considered, by the Belgians, to be the superior group in Rwanda, because they possessed higher education and had achieved greater social mobility. The lower class Hutu majority were subjugated to Tutsi rule which followed Belgian-dictated mandates of oppression and forced labor. Before that, the Tutsis (cattle owners) and Hutu (farmers) were simply divided into classes. A Hutu could actually “cross class boundaries” and become a Tutsi by acquiring livestock, land, or wealth (Do Scars Ever Fade). The Belgians exploited the physical characteristics of the two classes to further divide them. Using the caliper to measure... the center of the paper... conveys government policy. The resolution of this conflict has yet to be fully realized and is still an ongoing experiment. The Hutu, who have crossed the border into neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, are still organized into rebel militias and spreading terror across the region. Kagame rules his army with a strong will and is now supported by major Western powers, including the United States. He created a sense of security among his people. He is considered a great national hero by the Tutsi people. However, his control and governance tactics often provoke arguments among his critics. He is sometimes called a “benevolent dictator” and the realization of true democracy is often questioned. No one knows where this experiment will lead to humanity, but it is a truly fascinating and inspiring testimony to human resilience and hope..