In the 1990s, 1,350,000 people lost their lives and 4,700,000 were forced to flee their homes in three small African countries: Liberia, Somalia, and Rwanda. This book explores the causes of the three civil wars.

At the same time, it examines the collapse of the three states caused by the violent conflicts. Paradoxically, although the bipolar world was already a thing of the past, the factors that led to the collapse and prevented the three countries from regaining any central authority are, to a large extent, external.

Foreign diplomatic intervention triggered the genocide in Rwanda, while foreign military interventions (by the Nigerians in Liberia and the Americans in Somalia) intensified the conflicts, contributing to the maintenance of the void created by the collapse of the state.

This book, with its documentation and clarity, helps us fill a real gap, allowing us to substantially understand the shocking events happening in the Dark Continent that we daily witness on our screens or read about in the press.

[Excerpt from the text on the back cover of the edition]