Why do you think Germany and Japan weren't just punished for their roles in World War 2?

Answer 1

They were punished for their roles in World War II. In many ways, Germany was more severely punished than it was after World War I (Japan was on the side of the Allies in World War I).

1. Both countries were occupied by the victorious Allies. Japan was occupied by the US; Germany was occupied by the US, UK, USSR, and France. Japan was occupied until the early 1950s. The French, UK and USA portions of Germany formed into West Germany in 1949, and the Soviet part became East Germany. Allied military forces (mainly US) stayed in both countries long after the war- and are still there to this day.
2. Their leaders were put on trial for war crimes. The Nazi leaders were famously put on trial at Nuremberg, but the Japanese leaders had their own trials. Most surviving top level leaders were sentenced to execution or lengthy imprisonment.
3. Germany in particular went through a period of "Denazification". The Nazi Party had too ingrained itself into German society at all levels, and the Allies had to go through a process of removing it. Nazi Party members were banned from their positions in society, and often suffered some sort of punishment, from imprisonment to having to do labor like digging graves.
4. Both countries lost territory gained before and during the war.
5. Both countries had to pay reparations. However, these reparations were not as harsh as what Germany suffered after World War I.
6. A lot of resources were taken from Germany after the war. Resources such as factory equipment, patents, and even people. In particular, German scientists, engineers, doctors, and other technical specialists were brought to the US under "Operation Paperclip".