Premium Essay

Just War Theory Applied to Pearl Harbor

In: English and Literature

Submitted By rachlane
Words 794
Pages 4
Aquinas’s just war theory can be applied to modern armed conflicts today. Using the attack on Pearl Harbor as an example you can still apply these ancient ideas to provide a useful way to look at events. The just war theory states three rules for a just war. First, a proper authority must command the war. Those in authority are supposed to protect the people. It is lawful for them to use weapons or force to keep peace and order inside their city/country and to punish people who break the laws and do evil. In the same way, those in authority are responsible for defending the community against external enemies, and can therefore use force against enemies. Second, there must be a just cause for the war. “… Those who are attacked, should be attacked because they deserve it on account of some fault.” Third, those fighting must “have a rightful intention, so that they intend the advancement of good, or the avoidance of evil.” The first rule is clearly the most important rule; it sets the tone for everything that follows. A state may launch a war only for the right reason. A just cause most frequently mentioned includes self-defense from external attack. Thus far, Pearl Harbor could be considered a just war because the United States declared a state of war with Japan after they were “suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.” as stated by President Franklin Roosevelt in his “Day of Infamy Speech”. However, we must remember how morally complex war can be and that no war can be completely just. Secondly, a just cause is required, specifically that those who are attacked, should be attacked because they deserve it on account of some fault. The Japanese did deserve to be attacked because they took the lives of American citizens. However, they didn’t deserve it to the degree that the United States took it to. It was cruel and

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Event Analysis

...Event Analysis 1 Event Analysis: World War II LaKisha J. Williams PAD540 International Public Administration Dr. Angela Parham Strayer University February 7, 2013 Event Analysis 2 Event Analysis: World War II World War II The United States stood in shock and fear as Japan initiated their attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor with absolutely no warning. After the Great Depression of the 1920s, Japan was left without the resources they largely depended on the United States to provide. As Japan’s population became more overcrowded and their resources became scarce, the Japanese military decided to try and take over lands in China; mainly Manchuria. The Empire of Japan was aimed at taking over East Asia. As tensions arose between Japan and China the United States under the leadership of Herbert Hoover and Franklin D. Roosevelt (in the beginning) decided that they did not have any stake siding with either country. Up to this point the United States policy in China was based on the principle known as the Open Door Policy in which any and all countries were free to trade and make investments with and within China. The United States felt that if they sanctioned Japan and China, both economically and with military assistance, it would be enough for Japan and China to stop the fighting, but it didn’t. At that point Japan decided to accept Germany as an ally and...

Words: 2263 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

Sun Tzu Versus Carl Von Clausewitz

...Sources Research, taught by Leland Erickson Abstract "Everything in war is simple, but the simplest thing is difficult. The difficulties accumulate and end by producing a kind of friction that is inconceivable unless one has experienced war." -Carl von Clausewitz When one talks of those who fought in war, names like Patton, Churchill, Napoleon, and Gallic comes to mind. But the words and strategy of Sun Tzu, and Carl Von Clausewitz works appear more than anyone in history of war. Although separated by centuries between them, their principles, ideas, and theories are studied thoroughly by militaries across the world. Although they shared many of the same ideas, does not mean they were in total agreement. In fact their theories diverge in certain areas. The most diverged area amongst the two was their idea of reaching the end of victory. Sun Tzu defines victory as taking a state intact. He says it is better to capture the enemy then to destroy them. “To subdue the enemy without fighting is the acme skill.” Sun Tzu also states that you should not allow your enemies to come together; you should severe and destroy your enemies’ alliances. The preferred methods for success in these matters would be the use of diplomacy, propaganda, and secret agents.  By undermining the enemy’s plans and allies in this way, the need for actual battle became unnecessary for victory (Sun Tzu, The Art of War, p. 78).  Carl Von Clausewitz view on this is in total disagreement. He...

Words: 2281 - Pages: 10

Premium Essay

The Constitution Is Our Way Forward

...Ever since the birth of man, tyranny has existed in some way, and so has mans desire to be free from it. Our forefathers in this country fought and died and risked everything they had in this world just to create a place where we could truly, at least for a time, be free of tyranny. They repelled the greatest empire the world had ever known based on their belief that if they could be free they could change the world for the better. We created more wealth, more art, more innovation, more technology than any other nation in history with our freedom. Our freedoms were protected by a document called the Constitution, a document that provided a very specific rules that the federal government could not violate. In recent years however the constitution has been being worked around, and most recently almost entirely ignored. We are in an out of control financial crisis., and out government is working as hard as it can to find ways to violate our basic fundamental freedoms so it can have more control. We are in so many countries with our army that it’s getting hard to count. We are becoming the very empire we fought so hard to escape. If only we would follow our constitution more closely, we wouldn’t be in this mess. The Constitution ensures that the government has a very limited and specific duty: To provide for the common defense of the nation as a whole, and to provide mechanisms to allow trade between the states, and to other countries. The state governments were given powers above...

Words: 3788 - Pages: 16

Free Essay

Reading Comprehension

...energy for the production of deadly weapons are desperately trying to find out how they might never be used. They threaten each other, intimidate each other and go to the brink, but before the total hour arrives they withdraw from the brink. 2. 1. The main point from the author's view is that A. Man's soul and spirit can not be destroyed by superpowers. B. Man's destiny is not fully clear or visible. C. Man's soul and spirit are immortal. D. Man's safety is assured by the delicate balance of power in E. terms of nuclear weapons. Human society will survive despite the serious threat of total annihilation. Ans : E 2. The phrase 'Go to the brink' in the passage means A. Retreating from extreme danger. B. Declare war on each other. C. Advancing to the stage of war but not engaging in it. D. Negotiate for peace. E. Commit suicide. Ans : C 3. In the author's opinion A. Huge stockpiles of destructive weapons have so far saved mankind from a catastrophe. B. Superpowers have at last realized the need for abandoning the production of lethal weapons. C. Mankind is heading towards complete destruction. D. Nations in...

Words: 13393 - Pages: 54

Free Essay

500 Extraordinary Islands

... PARAGUAY CHILE Cordoba Santiago Pôrto Alegre URUGUAY Montevideo Buenos Aires ARGENTINA FALKLAND/MALVINAS ISLANDS South Georgia extraordinary islands 1st Edition 500 By Julie Duchaine, Holly Hughes, Alexis Lipsitz Flippin, and Sylvie Murphy Contents Chapter 1 Beachcomber Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Aquatic Playgrounds 2 Island Hopping the Turks & Caicos: Barefoot Luxury 12 Life’s a Beach 14 Unvarnished & Unspoiled 21 Sailing Along 32 Island Hopping The Bahamas Out Islands: Out on the Water 36 Diving’s the Thing 38 Storied Sand & Surf 45 Archipelagos & Atolls 51 Chapter 2 Garden Islands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Beautiful Bounty 58 Island Hopping the Florida Keys: Stringing the Pearls 62 Blooming Wonders 64 Wet & Wild 68 Island Hopping the Apostle Islands: Return to the Wild 78 Manicured Gardens...

Words: 249855 - Pages: 1000

Free Essay

Academic

...STRATEGIC THEORY FOR THE 21st CENTURY: THE LITTLE BOOK ON BIG STRATEGY Harry R. Yarger February 2006 This publication is a work of the United States Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, section 101. As such, it is in the public domain, and under the provisions of Title 17, United States Code, Section 105, it may not be copyrighted. Visit our website for other free publication downloads http://www.StrategicStudiesInstitute.army.mil/ To rate this publication click here. ***** The views expressed in this report are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Army, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. This report is cleared for public release; distribution is unlimited. ***** Comments pertaining to this report are invited and should be forwarded to: Director, Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College, 122 Forbes Ave, Carlisle, PA 17013-5244. ***** All Strategic Studies Institute (SSI) monographs are available on the SSI homepage for electronic dissemination. Hard copies of this report also may be ordered from our homepage. SSI’s homepage address is: www.StrategicStudies Institute.army.mil. ***** The Strategic Studies Institute publishes a monthly e-mail newsletter to update the national security community on the research of our analysts, recent and forthcoming publications, and upcoming conferences sponsored by the Institute. Each newsletter also provides a strategic commentary...

Words: 27758 - Pages: 112

Premium Essay

Strategy

...The Grand Strategy of the United States by R.D. Hooker, Jr. INSS Strategic Monograph Institute for National Strategic Studies National Defense University The Grand Strategy of the United States R.D. Hooker, Jr. INSS Strategic Monograph National Defense University Press Washington, D.C. October 2014 Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Defense Department or any other agency of the Federal Government. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited. Portions of this work may be quoted or reprinted without permission, provided that a standard source credit line is included. NDU Press would appreciate a courtesy copy of reprints or reviews. Cover: President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden meet with members of the National Security Council in the Situation Room of the White House hours before his national address, September 10, 2014 (The White House/Pete Souza) First printing, October 2014 Contents The Roots of American Grand Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 A Century Like No Other. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 The Ends of Grand Strategy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The Means of Grand Strategy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

Words: 14241 - Pages: 57

Free Essay

Us China Relationship

... Pg 5 Conclusion Pg 21 INTRODUCTION Since the dawn of civilization there have been great nations, 5000 years back the Mesopotamian,Egyptian and Indus Valley Civilization were the super-powers,if not the only advanced civilization of their time,2000 years back we had the roman empire and the chineese,500 years back the mughal empire,the ottoman empire etc. The world order keeps on changing, the end of the first world war saw the rise of America along the ranks of other European superpowers like the British Empire,France and Germany and saw the fall of 2 superpowers,the ottoman and the Austria-hungry empire. The second world war ushered the modern world into a new world order. The United Nations was born and its membership suddenly grew. The United States brought about reconstruction of the war torn economies of Europe and Japan and ensured stable democracies for her new allies,now only two superpowers called the shots,the world was divided into two ideological camps,the first led by America,countries which followed the free market system and liberal democracies and believed in open markets and international were part of this group of nations. The other faction was led by the Soviet Union it included states like East Germany,Poland,China and North Korea, this...

Words: 8393 - Pages: 34

Free Essay

Business Assignment

...Alexander Fleming From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia For other uses, see Alexander Fleming (disambiguation). Sir Alexander Fleming FRSE, FRS, FRCS(Eng) | | Born | 6 August 1881 Lochfield, Ayrshire, Scotland | Died | 11 March 1955 (aged 73) London, England | Nationality | Scottish | Fields | Bacteriology, immunology | Alma mater | Royal Polytechnic Institution St Mary's Hospital Medical School Imperial College London | Known for | Discovery of penicillin | Notable awards | * FRS (1943)[1] * Nobel Prize (1945) * Knight Bachelor (1944) | Signature | Sir Alexander Fleming, FRSE, FRS,[1] FRCS(Eng) (6 August 1881 – 11 March 1955) was a Scottish biologist, pharmacologist and botanist. He wrote many articles on bacteriology, immunology, and chemotherapy. His best-known discoveries are the enzyme lysozyme in 1923 and the antibiotic substance penicillin from the mould Penicillium notatum in 1928, for which he shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1945 with Howard Florey and Ernst Boris Chain.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Contents * 1 Early life and education * 2 Research * 2.1 Work before penicillin * 2.2 Accidental discovery * 2.3 Purification and stabilisation * 2.4 Antibiotics * 3 Myths * 4 Personal life * 5 Death * 6 Honours, awards and achievements * 7 See also * 8 Bibliography * 9 References * 10 External links Early life and education Fleming was born on 6 August 1881...

Words: 13076 - Pages: 53

Premium Essay

Julius Ceasar

...T S CHAPTER 1 Early America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 CHAPTER 2 The Colonial Period . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 CHAPTER 3 The Road to Independence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 CHAPTER 4 The Formation of a National Government . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 CHAPTER 5 Westward Expansion and Regional Differences . . . . . . . 110 CHAPTER 6 Sectional Conflict . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128 CHAPTER 7 The Civil War and Reconstruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140 CHAPTER 8 Growth and Transformation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 CHAPTER 9 Discontent and Reform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188 CHAPTER 10 War, Prosperity, and Depression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202 CHAPTER 11 The New Deal and World War I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212 CHAPTER 12 Postwar America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 256 CHAPTER 13 Decades of Change: 1960-1980 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 274 CHAPTER 14 The New Conservatism and a New World Order . . . . . . 304 CHAPTER 15 Bridge to the 21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 320 PICTURE PROFILES Becoming a Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Transforming a Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ...

Words: 104976 - Pages: 420

Premium Essay

My Paper

...1 NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND THE ESCALATION OF THE COLD WAR, 1945-1962 David Holloway, Stanford University Nuclear weapons are so central to the history of the Cold War that it can be difficult to disentangle the two. Did nuclear weapons cause the Cold War? Did they contribute to its escalation? Did they help to keep the Cold War “cold?” We should ask also how the Cold War shaped the development of atomic energy. Was the nuclear arms race a product of Cold War tension rather than its cause? The Atomic Bomb and the Origins of the Cold War The nuclear age began before the Cold War. During World War II, three countries decided to build the atomic bomb: Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union. Britain put its own work aside and joined the Manhattan Project as a junior partner in 1943. The Soviet effort was small before August 1945. The British and American projects were driven by the fear of a German atomic bomb, but Germany decided in 1942 not to make a serious effort to build the bomb. In an extraordinary display of scientific and industrial might, the United States made two bombs ready for use by August 1945. Germany was defeated by then, but President Truman decided to use the bomb against Japan. The decision to use the atomic bomb has been a matter of intense controversy. Did Truman decide to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order, as he claimed, to end the war with Japan without further loss of American lives? Or did he drop the bombs in order to intimidate the Soviet...

Words: 8814 - Pages: 36

Free Essay

Managing the Crisis You Tried to Prevent

...Harvard Business Review On Crisis Management ... Managing Crisis You Tried to Prevent Norman R. Augustine Originally published in November – December 1995 Reprint # 95602 A Harvard Business Review Paperback Managing the Crisis You Tried to Prevent Managing the Crisis You Tried to Prevent Norman R. Augustine Executive Summary NEWS REPORTS ANNOUNCING that yet another business has stumbled into a crisis—often without warning and through no direct fault of its management— seem as regular as the tide. And the spectrum of business crises is so wide that it is impossible to list each type. On a single day this year, the Washington Post reported a series of crashes suffered by American Eagle Airlines, the bankruptcy of Orange County, and Intel’s travails with its Pentium microprocessor. Other noteworthy crises have been the Challenger space shuttle explosion, the “incident” at the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor, and the series of deaths resulting from cyanide adulteration of Tylenol capsules. Fortunately, argues Norman Augustine, almost every crisis contains within itself the seeds of success as well as the roots of failure. Finding, cultivating, and harvesting that potential success is the essence of crisis management. And the essence of crisis mismanagement is the propensity to take a bad situation and make it worse. Augustine has distinguished six stages of crisis management and makes recommendations for dealing with each: avoiding the crisis...

Words: 8659 - Pages: 35

Premium Essay

California an Interpretive History - Rawls, James

...CALIFORNIA CALIFORNIA An Interpretive History TENTH EDITION James J. Rawls Instructor of History Diablo Valley College Walton Bean Late Professor of History University of California, Berkeley TM TM CALIFORNIA: AN INTERPRETIVE HISTORY, TENTH EDITION Published by McGraw-Hill, a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Previous editions © 2008, 2003, and 1998. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written consent of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., including, but not limited to, in any network or other electronic storage or transmission, or broadcast for distance learning. Some ancillaries, including electronic and print components, may not be available to customers outside the United States. This book is printed on acid-free paper. 1234567890 QFR/QFR 10987654321 ISBN: 978-0-07-340696-1 MHID: 0-07-340696-1 Vice President & Editor-in-Chief: Michael Ryan Vice President EDP/Central Publishing Services: Kimberly Meriwether David Publisher: Christopher Freitag Sponsoring Editor: Matthew Busbridge Executive Marketing Manager: Pamela S. Cooper Editorial Coordinator: Nikki Weissman Project Manager: Erin Melloy Design Coordinator: Margarite Reynolds Cover Designer: Carole Lawson Cover Image: Albert Bierstadt, American (born...

Words: 248535 - Pages: 995

Free Essay

Asdasdasd

...[pic] FIRST ARMY EQUAL OPPORTUNITY REPRESENTATIVE COURSE STUDENT GUIDE TO CULTURAL AWARENESS INDEX LESSON TITLE PAGE 1 Philosophical Aspects of Culture SG- 3 C1 Native American Experience SG- 4 C2 White American Experience SG- 23 C3 Arab American Experience SG- 43 C4 Hispanic American Experience SG- 53 C5 Black American Experience SG- 76 C6 Asian American Experience SG-109 C7 Jewish American Experience SG-126 C8 Women in the Military SG-150 C9 Extremist Organizations/Gangs SG-167 STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR BEING FAMILIARIZED WITH ALL CLASS MATERIAL PRIOR TO CLASS. INFORMATION PAPER ON THE PHILOSOPHICAL ASPECTS OF CULTURAL DIFFERENCE Developed by Edwin J. Nichols, Ph.D. |Ethnic Groups/ |Axiology |Epistemology |Logic |Process | |World Views | | | | | |European |Member-Object |Cognitive |Dichotomous |Technology | |Euro-American |The highest value lies in the object |One knows through counting |Either/Or...

Words: 63019 - Pages: 253

Premium Essay

Ir Theories

...Theories of International Relations Third edition Scott Burchill, Andrew Linklater, Richard Devetak, Jack Donnelly, Matthew Paterson, Christian Reus-Smit and Jacqui True Theories of International Relations This page intentionally left blank Theories of International Relations Third edition Scott Burchill, Andrew Linklater, Richard Devetak, Jack Donnelly, Matthew Paterson, Christian Reus-Smit and Jacqui True Material from 1st edition © Deakin University 1995, 1996 Chapter 1 © Scott Burchill 2001, Scott Burchill and Andrew Linklater 2005 Chapter 2 © Jack Donnelly 2005 Chapter 3 © Scott Burchill, Chapters 4 and 5 © Andrew Linklater, Chapters 6 and 7 © Richard Devetak, Chapter 8 © Christian Reus-Smit, Chapter 9 © Jacqui True, Chapter 10 © Matthew Paterson 2001, 2005 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission. No paragraph of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted save with written permission or in accordance with the provisions of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, or under the terms of any licence permitting limited copying issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency, 90 Tottenham Court Road, London W1T 4LP. Any person who does any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages. The authors have asserted their rights to be identified as the authors of this work in accordance with the Copyright...

Words: 132890 - Pages: 532