ruthlessness to quicken the end of the war theme
The following ethical dilemma is posed: Can extreme levels of aggression, such as the use of nuclear weapons against a comparatively weak enemy, be justified by the argument that they quicken the end of the war and therefore save lives in the long run?
Examples
This argument is sometimes raised in discussions about America's use of nuclear bombs on Japan in the second world war.
3 total · 2 major · 1 minor
| Story | Level | Motivation |
|---|---|---|
| bbf2x20 | major | Londo justified Centauri aggression in this way |
| movie: Apocalypse Now (1979) | major | we heard, time again, that Kurtz' methods were abhorent but effective |
| bbf4x14 | minor | warrior commander justified his actions thus |