In all three sources, it is strongly supported that all these represent the perspective of being anti-nationalistic. In source one U.S president Harry S. Truman drops atomic bombs committing a crime against humanity, leaving a nation to have to deal with the negative effects for several years to come. In source two, during Slobodan Milosevic reign era Bosniaks were being attacked while members of the Serb-nation occupied bjelina and Muslims were cleansed from their homes. In source three, during the Rwanda genocide the U.N made a failed attempt to bring peace to Africa their attempt was not enough to sustain peace and the U.N did not expand this mission ultimately resulting in the death of 800000innocent citizens. All three sources follow a central issue that reflects that ultranationalism can lead the nation to commit irreversible acts. All three sources comment directly on social, cultural, political nationalism and their negative effects.
In source one, the topic being explored is evident to the historical moment when the U.S then president Harry S. Truman dropped atomic bombs committing a crime against humanity. President Truman believed he was protecting his citizens and securing his country's national interest. President Truman allowed for his ultranationalist views to blind him as he had stated after the bombing “ we have now added a new and revolutionary increase in our destruction to supplement the growth of our armed forces”. As a President, you are in charge of representing your country in a well-mannered way President Truman ideals seems to be very close to one of Adolf Hitler. These are the types of ideas that tear a nation apart. The atomic bombs significantly reduced Hiroshima and Nagasaki population at least 2000000 civilians were vaporized and 250000 were set to die from radiation poisoning. Ultimately it is clear that the illustrator is portraying that the United States has gone too far in protecting their national interests as it has turned into ultranationalism. This source clearly links to political and social nationalism as the United States view Japan to be less than them and their ignorance had allowed them to believe all Japanese were “untrustworthy”. National interests are meant to protect the physical security of a nation and its people though many individuals believe that the dropping of the atomic bomb was in their countries interest, there is a strong number of individuals that believe America had gone too far as the actions committed on August 6th, 1945 to this day 2019 still have long-lasting effects on innocent civilians. President Truman committed a Crime against humanity and America as a nation should still try and work towards helping these nations.
Source two strongly seems to be anti-nationalist as it shows the negative impacts of nationalism and how it can cause thousands of innocent civilians grief. This source supports the Bosniaks who were abused and the source is strongly against the Serb nation that “cleansed” Muslims from their homes. Slobodan Milosevic had a belief that the Serbs formed an ethnic nation superior to all others, this mentality strongly conveys to that of Adolf Hitlers which further emphasizes the negative effects of nationalism as it can easily turn into ultranationalism. Milosevic committed a crime against humanity without a care at all to all of the citizens he was affecting he believed that the Serb-nation was superior to everyone. Milosevic believed that everyone else who did not resemble the Serb-nation should be expelled from his territory. The soldier kicking the executed Muslim woman clearly links to the beliefs that Milosevic had been putting into the atmosphere. Muslims who occupied Bjelina were constantly harassed and denied their human rights. A once peaceful territory became easily full of hatred and evil. Serb soldiers abused their power and tormented the Bosniaks nation with constant bombardments and sniper attacks. They also destroyed centers of Muslim cultures, national and university library. They allowed for their own nationalism to turn them into evil individuals. The illustrator is commented on how ethnic cleansing and ultranationalism can lead a nation to commit actions that are irreversible, the illustrator is linking to how social, cultural and political nationalism when pushed to the extreme can turn negative and deeply divide a nation.
Source three supports the citizens of Rwanda who have been victims of genocide and crimes against humanity. This source also seems to be against the U.N’s pathetic attempt to bring peace in Rwanda. After Rwanda gained its independence in 1962, an imbalance of power sparked a war between the Tutsis and Hutus. A majority of Rwandans can neither read or write, the Hutus used this to their advantage and made propaganda campaigns against the tutu's urging for there to be a genocide of the Tutus. The united nations in 1993 send a small force of 2600 soldiers to make peace in Rwanda. The author has clearly identified int to how ultra-nationalism can lead a nation to commit acts that are unforgivable and irreversible, this links to political, social and cultural nationalism. And also to how big organizations often to bring peace and give up easily. People depend on the U.N to bring peace between countries and even countries at war with each other. Canadian General Romeo Dallaire was the commander who demanded soldiers to be sent out to Rwanda. In 1994 after an airplane carrying President Juvenal Habyarimana was shot down, the Hutus blamed tutus extremists and a series of killing followed. As the killings came to a stop about 800000 citizens were killed, 90 percent of these were tutus. Daillare constantly asked the U.N for extra assistance but the U.N believed that it was not their job to interfere between war but rather to just bring peace. The U.N had the resources to help the citizens of Rwanda and seeing that Rwanda is third world country they could have brought both leaders of the Hutus and Tutsis together at once to hear both sides and come to an agreement. The U.N ignored the fact that there were lives at stake who were in need of saving. Boutros Ghali a U.N secretary general at the time said: “ that the organization's lack of action was one of the greatest failures of his life”. Ultimately if the U.N had further expanded their mission thousands of innocent citizens lives would have not been lost.
In conclusion, the main topic being explored is evident to be how deeply ultranationalism, crimes against humanity can affect a nation and as to how nationalism can be toxic. All three sources had a central issue that commented directly on political, social and cultural aspects of nationalism. All three were strongly anti-nationalistic as they all demonstrasted the negative effects of nationalism.
