How was World War 2 a just war?

Answer 1

The Allies were justified in their actions to defend themselves, whether it was in response to being attacked directly (as with the US) or in trying to curb Nazi aggression that was rightly perceived as a threat to their own people.

So in that way, it was doubtlessly a "just war" for many nations, and it is incorrect for anyone to think they can place themselves 'above' the situation and say otherwise.

is any war a "just war"? you can think up all the reasons you want, but war is war. and it involves killing so no war is just or civil or anything.

this war was a "just war" because it was defending the right for people to live. this would mean people will have to die in order to save millions more.

Comment

In order to give a rigorous answer one would need a generally accepted definition of 'a just war'.

Think about it...

Germany had invaded Poland, Belgium, France, Russia, much of the Middle East, the Netherlands, and intended to invade Britain. Japan had invaded the Philippines, China, Guam, the Dutch East Indies, numerous other island nations in the Pacific, attacked the United States directly, and intended to invade Australia. These attacks were all unprovoked. Neither Japan or Germany were going to negotiate their gains away, they invaded them for their own reasons and fully intended to keep them. Neither country was benevolent towards the people they invaded, they instituted police states and exerted strict controls over their victims. So, you must ask yourself whether or not it was "just" to stop the aggression of Germany and Japan, and free the people they had invaded, or if it would have been "just" to allow these countries to continue invading and exerting tyrannical control over those they invaded.

If the world's leaders had though it would be unjust to go to war against Germany and Japan, there would be no Poland, France, Belgium, Holland, Philippines, or Guam today, and likely other nations would have fallen as well. Having had uninterrupted time to build their resources and forces, Germany would have eventually taken Britain, finished off Russia, and moved on to Spain, etc. leaving Germany as the only country in Europe. Japan would have likely taken Australia if they wouldn't have had to dedicate most of their forces to fighting America. Who knows where they might have gone after that. Would the United States still even be here?

Was stopping them "just"?

Are you talking about just war theory, if so WW2 must fit into the following conditions:

1) There must be a good cause

2) The war must be started and controlled by a legal authority.

3) Must be in cause of good not evil

4) War must be final action, other ways must have been tried

5) There must be a good chance of success

6) Only military personnel may take part in war and not civilians also there must be a good proportion of justice to suffering.

Fox MuldeR For everything there is a season,And a time for every matter under heaven:A time to be born, and a time to die;A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;A time to kill, and a time to heal;A time to break down, and a time to build up;A time to weep, and a time to laugh;A time to mourn, and a time to dance;A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;A time to seek, and a time to lose;A time to keep, and a time to throw away;A time to tear, and a time to sew;A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;A time to love, and a time to hate,A time for war, and a time for peace.Ecclesiastes 3:1-8World War 2 was probably one of the very very few wars I can even think of that were just. It was not fought on the part of the Allies for political, or material gain, however it was fought for the mere survival of nations, and to stop the mass genocide on the part of the axis nations. I find it absurd for anyone to say that WW2 was not a justified war. I am a pacifist myself, but there is a line that always has to be drawn. I would have fought in WW2 if I was living in that time, because I believe in what my Grandfathers and their buddies were fighting for. I find it sad that our country, and much of the world has forgotten their sacrifices, and exploit their legacy to newer generations to justify unjust wars such as Vietnam, and Iraq. I am not the greatest Christian, but I am a believer in Christ as my savior, and I am a man of many character flaws, but it is written in God's word that there is a time for EVERY matter under Heaven, including war.

you are partially right in saying that World War 2 was a just war, however, you are wrong in saying that it was fought for freedom only. WW2 was an imperialist war. While Germany, japan, and Italy were trying to expand their own empires, the allies were protecting theres. The most prominent example of this was the U.S. which did not enter the war until late 1941, due to its being attacked by Japan.

Think about this: Had Japan never attacked the U.S, would America have joined the allies' cause? After all, prior to Pearl Harbor, the U.S. was not an avid supporter of the liberation of the peoples of Europe and Asia, despite the fact that many American citizens knew about the genocides that were going on. Also, think about the aftermath of WW2, a worldwide struggle between the 2 remaining superpowers, that in itself created numerous conflicts that shouldn't have been fought.

This is all just an fyi. ofcourse, had ww2 not been fought, i might not have the ability to post my opinion like this on the web. i might be shoveling crap somewhere in some hole, or shining hitlers shoes.

War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political communities. Thus, fisticuffs between individual persons do not count as a war, nor does a gang fight, nor does a feud on the order of the Hatfields versus the McCoys. War is a phenomenon which occurs only between political communities, defined as those entities which either are states or intend to become states (in order to allow for civil war). Classical war is international war, a war between different states, like the two World Wars. But just as frequent is war within a state between rival groups or communities, like the American Civil War. Certain political pressure groups, like terrorist organizations, might also be considered "political communities," in that they are associations of people with a political purpose and, indeed, many of them aspire to statehood or to influence the development of statehood in certain lands.

Answer 2

World War II was a total war because it was not simply limited to the battlefield or even the troops. It was a total war because it involved everyone. Innocent civilians died in air raids and everyone was joining in the war effort. Taking the example of the firebombing of Dresden during the night of February 13-14, 1945, over 25,000 people were killed, destroying the splendor of the city and displacing hundreds of thousands of residents. Initial bombing raids on London targeted armament factories and other strategically sensitive sites, most of which were in the poorer East End. However, eventually, even Buckingham Palace was bombed. This placed the poor working-class of the East End and Princess Elizabeth both subject to the forces of war. As I mentioned earlier, World War II was a total war because it targeted everyone, not just troops and people on the battlefield. Living in a certain country defined a person as an enemy.

Answer 3

World War 2 completely neccessary and by the time war was declared, nothing could have been done to stop it.

Japan was making huge military campaigns in Asia and has massed vast land from other countries. Japan even invaded China and pushed deep into their land. Their territorial gains were huge.

Germany was re-claiming land lost from the First World War yearly, along with Italy. They tested their strength against the allies in the Spanish Civil War and won.

Answer 4

Probably, in the eyes of a German in the 30's, it was a good war because Germany was becoming the most powerful country in the world. But, it wasn't a good war because millions of people ended up dead, families were split, homes demolished and billions of dollars wasted.

Answer 5

For the Western Allies in Europe as example, World War Two was a total war because it was aimed at overthrowing the German government. The scale on each side was huge. It was a war with an unlimited objective,

Answer 6

It was a world war because it involved all the worlds superpowers and was fought throughout the world eg. Western and Eastern European theater, North African theater, Pacific theater etc.

Answer 7

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