• A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide

• Author: Samantha Power
• ISBN: 9780465050895
• Publisher: Basic Books
• Language: English
• Genre: History, Political Science, Human Rights

A Problem from Hell: America and the Age of Genocide, by Samantha Power, is a Pulitzer Prize-winning examination of the United States' historical response to genocide throughout the 20th century. Power meticulously investigates why American leaders, despite being aware of atrocities, have consistently failed to intervene to stop or prevent genocides in places like Armenia, the Holocaust, Cambodia, Bosnia, and Rwanda. The book analyzes the political, bureaucratic, and moral obstacles that have hindered American action, and explores the complex factors influencing U.S. foreign policy when confronted with mass atrocities. Power challenges the notion that the U.S. was unaware or lacked the capacity to act, arguing instead that a lack of political will and a prioritization of national interests often led to inaction. Ultimately, A Problem from Hell is a powerful call for greater awareness and a more proactive approach to preventing and responding to genocide in the 21st century.