Can nuclear war be morally justified?

Its more complicated than I would've thought. At the rate we were loosing troops in the Pacific it might have seemed like an acceptable loss. Would we do the same thing today? That's a sticky wicket!

Many might hate me for saying so, but my answer is no. I'll try and defend why.

The way I view it, war is the ultimate failure of mankind to follow Christ's commandment to "love one another". One would hope "we" don't start wars... but respond to threats coming from others; either against our own people... or those we've committed to protecting. Once war is joined, you must fight to win; it's brutal, bloody, and MANY "inhuman" things have to be done... even by the forces of good.

However, there must be limits.

If an enemy surrenders, or is injured beyond the point of continued aggression... you show mercy and compassion. When you've conquered the enemy's forces... you turn your focus on helping the civil population rebuild from the destruction often brought on by their leader's (rather than their) poor decisions. When you take an objective, you do so with as little risk to innocents as possible.

None of that means you won't often use indirect fires, or munitions that pose risks to civilians.... sometimes, it's simply a necessity. Our enemies often make use of our compassion by placing themselves in and among civilian populations... and many Americans have died as a result. At all times, commanders and strategists should seek to minimize our own casualties. There are certainly instances where balancing all of these factors has led to (in my mind, justly) the use of extremely destructive weapons.

However, the nuclear option breaches a boundary for me.

I could not hold this opinion as a serving officer, because there was always the remote possibility I might one day find myself ordered to employ such munitions. As a private citizen, I see that what makes a "nuclear bomb" different, is how it kills, and the scale in which it can continue to kill long after being deployed.

Some say the USA had no choice in Japan, because "millions" would've been lost in taking the home islands. I've seen various studies indicating that (a) that wasn't a foregone conclusion and (b) that Russia was in the process of planning their own invasion of Japan just prior to our decision to drop the Bomb. I believe (having reviewed the facts) that Truman dropped the Bomb largely because we were as worried about having to go to war with the Soviet Union as soon as we defeated the Axis... and Japan provided a "convenient" enemy against whom to demonstrate our new "game-changing" weapon.

I can't speak for my grandfather who died serving in the Pacific, my wife's grandfather who fought and was wounded as a Marine there, or the many who lost family members during the War... but I can speak for myself. If I could've saved the lives of children and innocent adults by being shot dead on a Japanese beach fighting other warriors... I'd have personally preferred that to carrying the weight of having dropped a weapon that harnesses the power of the Sun on thousands of non-combatants. As an officer however, I couldn't make that call for those I led... and am eternally grateful it's a decision I'll never have to face.

75 years ago after 5 years of war, thousands dead. As C in C you are presented with a weapon that can bring about the destruction of the enemy and their means to resist. The weapon has never been used before, but you are briefed that its destructive force will surely bring the enemy to it knees. Morality, defeat of the enemy, or more death and destruction? Given the events that brought about the necessity of this decision, my opinion is that the decision was the correct tactical move.

The deployment of nuclear weapons, knowing full destructive power of the modern arsenal, would there use be morally justified?

Honestly, it depends wholly on the situation. Hypothetically - our armies are beaten, our allies are gone, the strategic goal of the enemy is the complete and utter destruction of country and way of life.... Fire for effect.