Essay Sample about Just War Theory

Just war is a war declared for just and noble objectives and fought in a certain manner. The Mattison's application of the just war tradition is a good reflection of World War II. Nothing could be more just, he thinks, than the Nazis taking over Europe, Japan establishing an empire to dominate all of East Asia, Hitler building death camps, and Pearl Harbor occurring. The principle of proportionality is recognizing that innocent bystanders and their possessions will be demolished in the process of war. When Mattison talks about his viewpoint on war, especially the bombing, and proportionality he says that the amount of people did not need to be killed for them to have won that fight. These innocent people would not want a war, so they do not deserve to have their life, and their loved ones life in danger, and the powerful individuals that can declare this war should not be allowed to but these people in danger if they cannot defend themselves, “attempt to ensure that only the force which is necessary to restore justice is employed to a just war.” Mattison also talks about noncombatant immunity which is a just war tradition that says that military should not be hurt in war. When he says this, he is talking about women and children and innocent bystanders. Mattison believe that there is no reason for these people should not be involved and effected in anyway when the bombings were happening. These women, children and bystanders do not have right or ability to fight back do not have the ability to fight back since they are not combatants, so it is not fair that these attacks are affecting them. William Mattison utilizes double effect in his overall analysis by analyzing war in both a just, and unjust way. What good things came out of war and these events, such as winning the war and being rewarded for what we fight for. Also, the dreadful things that come with war such as innocents men, women, children, and bystanders lives being taken from them, and their families going through that loss. Since some of his family was a part of these historical events, he sees the just way because he is a proud American, and proud of his country, but he also realizes the people who are being affected who are not the ones fighting, which would be the just way. Everyone sees the just and unjust way of war. He does not necessarily feel comfortable with saying this, but he is proud and proud American, and he has family who fought in the war and does not want those mean who died to have died in vain. After learning about what William Mattison had to say about just war and all of the aspects that go into, my overall evaluations are that so many principles and concepts go into the just war theory, and Mattison perceptive, and person experiences I imagine that most people would agree with how he sees principles in his analysis.