Gaudiumetspes22 podcast

The immorality of obliteration bombing and our nuclear deterrent. Michael Baxter and Bill Portier

Apr 15, 2024
Join Michael Baxter, a Professor of moral theology, and Bill Portier, a retired theology professor, as they explore the morality of warfare. They unpack John C. Ford’s arguments against obliteration bombing and discuss the distinction between combatants and noncombatants. The conversation shifts to the moral implications of nuclear deterrence and pastoral care for returning soldiers. Additionally, they propose innovative programs to help veterans process war experiences, and reflect on alternatives to ongoing militarism and ecological harm.
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INSIGHT

Ford's Thomistic Rebuttal To Saturation Bombing

  • John C. Ford used Thomistic natural-law reasoning to declare obliteration (saturation) bombing unjust even during WWII.
  • His careful act-centered moral analysis created a theological foothold for later critiques of nuclear weapons.
INSIGHT

Rejecting Military Necessity As A Catch-All

  • Ford rejected the 'military necessity' and 'enemy does it too' defenses for indiscriminate bombing.
  • He insisted that natural law and the laws of humanity require protecting innocent life even in modern war.
INSIGHT

The Catalogue That Undermines 'Total War'

  • Ford lists countless civilian roles to show the absurdity of labeling broad swaths of society as combatants.
  • That catalogue undermines the 'total war' claim that civilian lives can be intentionally targeted.
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