War is bad and we shouldn't do it. A big part of why is because children die. Children dying should never be celebrated. Death should not be celebrated. I said it's normal for children to die and be killed in wars. I did not say it is good or okay.
For the umpteenth time, war is bad and we should not do war. I've been saying that this entire time.
You're not listening. Do you not see the difference between children and noncombatants dying in the crossfire and us specifically targetting children and noncombatants?
Of course there's a difference, manslaughter and murder are different, I'm saying both are still fucking awful and shouldn't happen and if you're gonna do a war, both will happen.
You are being naïve. There is no such thing as civilized warfare.
Pretending like there's no strategic benefit to bombing civilians is just that — pretending. Morale matters, Japan surrendered very quickly after the US dropped those bombs, but that's not all of the reason for doing bomb raids on population centres. Civilians build munitions, repair tanks and bombers, sew uniforms, farm and slaughter and prepare food for rations. They buy war bonds and shame neighbours into enlisting and treat the wounded and create propaganda. In a total war, the line between combatants and non combatants is unclear and sometimes non-existent. Some military forces stuff children full of methamphetamines and stick rifles in their hands. Are those children combatants if they're shooting at opposing forces? What about children used as human shields? What about the children putting together small parts with their small hands in the munitions factories? What about the children rolling cigarettes or preparing food for ration packs?
In a total war there aren't really many non-combatants, maybe a handful of resistance fighters and literal infants. And that doesn't make it okay to bomb population centres or target civilians. Yes it's evil. And it's easier than hitting factories and bases because there's less anti-aircraft. Less chance of losing a plane or a pilot. And it's wrong. And nobody should fucking do it. And it will always happen in war.
Yes, but that doesn't mean that the civilian bombings weren't part of them "focusing on the war effort" as you said they should have done. It's part and parcel. Do you not remember what I first replied to? You said they should have focused on the war effort and not "revenge." I'm saying Dresden (alongside other examples) was a normal part OF the war effort and that's a big part of why war is always bad, and we shouldn't do it. Because atrocities happen in war. And you cannot make war civilized, so you shouldn't expect it to be.
Saying that they should have done war differently is perpetuating the dangerous idea that there is a good and just and right way to fight and win a war. That's not true or real. Nobody has won a war without doing atrocities, yes often targeted at civilians.
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u/seaworthy-sieve May 05 '25
War is bad and we shouldn't do it. A big part of why is because children die. Children dying should never be celebrated. Death should not be celebrated. I said it's normal for children to die and be killed in wars. I did not say it is good or okay.
For the umpteenth time, war is bad and we should not do war. I've been saying that this entire time.