Question

Throughout the course of WWII, the United States considered several of the Japanese wartime tactics as inhumane and unfair. Kamikazes and the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor caught the United States off guard. If the Japanese used inhumane tactics earlier in the war, does it give the United States the right to use inhumane tactics in return? (Orange – Groups 3 and 7)

Answer 1

No, it is not ethical to use inhumane tactics, regardless of whether the enemy has used them. The use of inhumane tactics is a violation of international law and basic human rights. The fact that the Japanese used kamikazes and surprise attacks does not justify or excuse the United States or any other country to engage in similar actions.

Rather than stooping to the level of the enemy, it is important for the United States to uphold its own values and ethics, and to find ways to win the war through more humane means. Ultimately, using inhumane tactics only serves to perpetuate a cycle of violence and hatred, and can lead to further conflicts in the future.