War is a subject difficult to consider under most circumstances. As a practice, it is most often an economically devastating, destructive and harmful event, one that damages most of its participants in some way. Of course, war can be profitable for weapon sellers and manufacturers, as well as the military complex, but the ethically of such institutions first needs to be questioned. The central consideration for the present discussion, however, is whether any type of warfare can be morally justified. The morality of some forms of war has long been debated, with arguments for both sides being considerably convincing (MacKinnon & Fiala, 2016). As a loss of human lives and a practice of violence, however, it is extremely difficult to consider war an ethical good. A country can only reasonably justify itself entering a war if, for example, its people are facing direct violence from another nation.
In the case of open acts of hostility, terrorism, or an invasion, going to war can be morally justified. Alternatively, war can be justified through ideological and practical reasons. During World War II, a number of countries have united their efforts in facing against Nazi ideology, as its spread was seen as destructive and threatening to the continued prosperity of people (“World War II,” n.d.). The opposition of Nazism to values of human equality, and a right to life of many is what prompted many nations to take up arms against Germany and its allies. In this case, considering the Ideology of Nazism as morally and socially harmful presents a justification for opposing it in active combat. Therefore, participation in WWII as a way to stop Nazis can be considered an ethically-correct action. Using ideological principles and the actions of other nations as an explanation for going to war is dangerous, however, as state actors have often used such concerns as a veil to conceal their true intentions (Domańska, 2020). In some cases, an ideological difference can just be a convenient excuse for pillaging other nations.
References
Domańska, M. (2020). The myth of the Great Patriotic War as a tool of the Kremlin’s great power policy. OSW Centre for Eastern Studies.
World War II. (n.d.). Encyclopedia Britannica.
MacKinnon, B., & Fiala, A. (2016). Ethics: Theory and contemporary issues. Cengage Learning.