The first idea of a war theory for justice in the war was written by a single person. St. Thomas Aquinas made the Principles of a Just-War Theory. These principles were based on St. Augustine's version that said the war needed to be wage with legitimate authority and have the right intentions and just cause. The Just War Theory uses jus ad bellum, a justification for war, and jus in bello, a justified conduct of war. WWII, using Aquinas's Just War Theorem, is a just war for the United States both in the justification for the war and the conduct of war.
In the Just War Theory Aquinas uses last resort, right intention and just cause to recognize if the reasons for entering the war were just, jus ad bellum. Last resort says a just war can be waged after consideration of a peaceful outtake. After then a force can be used as a last resort. Right intention is explaining that the intention if the war should be for peace and the use of force should be for justice. Finally Just Cause is that the war should be in response of a wrong doing or self-defense, to correct the inflicted wound. The United States used last resort, right intention and had a just cause for coming out of isolation and into the war.
The U.S. used the last resort against Japan. After trying to negotiate with them they had attack Pearl Harbor. We used just cause to attack them because we needed to use self-defense. Also we declared war on German, because they declared war on the U.S. first. Another thing that we did was made a plan for after we bombed Japan so it wasn't just revenge. The reason that we fought Germany was to try to stop the Nazis from domination.
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| Attack at Pearl Harbor 7 December 1941 |
More of the jus ad bellum principles of the Just War Theory was probability of success and legitimate authority. Legitimate authority is saying that a proper authority can wage war not just individuals. Probability of success has to do with a nation has to enter the war with the idea thatcher could win in some way. Otherwise it would not be a just war with a hopeless nation. Once again in part of the U.S.its mostly just.
The United States was a legitimate authority along with Britain, Japan, and the German Nazis. On the other hand with probability of success the nationalism of the country was pretty high, but we were forced in the war. This put pressure on us, but being in isolation made us ready for war. Especially with the home front, weapons, and food.
The Just War Theory also has the principles of being in the war, or jus in bello. They were proportionality and civilian casualties. Proportionality is justifying that for a just war the violence must be equal. A nation should not exceed what is necessary to avoid disproportionate military. Civilian Casualties says that violence must not be inflicted upon civilian lives directly and soldiers should try not to harm civilians. These principles that are showing what's just make the U.S. neutral.
When we bombed Japan with heavy damage against civilian lives. Although we did send in
groups to help with clean up and help for Japan after the war, making it neutral on our part. Also German soldiers were much younger than the United States, making it un proportional.
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| Two American Soldiers helping clean up Hiroshima |
America was very just compared to other countries such as Germany who killed any civilians possible. The United States has a just cause and a reasonable battles and our damage was backed up with help.
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| German soldiers squatting over civilians they killed |
