Japan In Wwii

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='05 April 2010 - 05:03 PM' timestamp='1270497824' post='2087170']
How is that not utilitarian and consequentialist?
[/quote]
What else is there in a war? I've repeatedly asked how you guys would have won this thing in a Christian way, while balancing strategic and logistical concerns with political will at home.
You just keep quoting Catechism at everyone. That's not good enough because nobody fights according to the Catechism.

[toledo_jesus]

[quote name='Nihil Obstat' date='05 April 2010 - 05:02 PM' timestamp='1270497747' post='2087168']
Why does the choice have to be between the bombs and an invasion though? I'm no strategist, so I can't say much on the subject, but I still think it sounds suspiciously like a false dichotomy. What about a sustained campaign of assassination of political and military leaders? What about wrecking every single sea port and not allowing them to be rebuilt?

As far as I can tell, the last time conventional warfare "worked" was in WWII, and even then it was becoming appallingly costly. That's why taking Japan conventionally would have been too much to bear. So why stick to convention?

Now, I'm not saying necessarily that my two suggestions above were not considered, or even that they are good suggestions, but my point is that the choice between bombing and invasion didn't have to be limited in such a way. They were probably very smart people who could have entertained other options.
[/quote]
I see this post now. Those are good options, but might not have been possible for a host of reasons.
I think assassination would have been too slow and marginally effective unless coupled with that same invasion. Very costly, dangerous, and of limited effect on its own.
Say America invades and instead of organized resistance there is a Vietnam-style guerrilla war. Imagine pacifying Japan piecemeal. We'd have a hard time of it with our conventional forces. This is where that assassination program would be effective - precinct by precinct. Public support for such a long, costly effort would be in the crapper.
Then, once the Russians arrived they'd start "pacifying" with their particular talent for it. That is probably the biggest danger, a brand new market for Communist misrule.

Edited April 5, 2010 by toledo_jesus