St. Augustine, (d.430) a first century theologian and philosopher, articulated the 'Just War Theory' initially to justify a Christian war, one perceived to defend and maintain peace and order. Opponents, typically pacifists, believe there is never a just means for war under any circumstance either on moral or religious grounds. While war at one level appears antithetical to Judeo Christian thought that man shall not kill, man also has a duty to preserve life and possesses the right to self defense which may involve the taking of other lives to preserve one's own and those of one's society and culture. With the intention of self preservation citizens and their governments must do all they can to avoid war but lawful self-defense must always be an option to wage war under moral parameters or The Just War Theory. American intervention in World War II was justified for many moral, emotional and practical reasons but can also be justified under Augustine's Just War Theory, which states many concepts we consider basic.
             The Just War Theory can be summarized by the following six elements (Saunders):
             The American Declaration of Independence states, "All human beings are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights." This holds true for individual citizens but also for our country as a whole and participant in the world. The decision to wage war is always based on values which by example justified our entry into World War II as we were not only attacked at Pearl Harbor but we as a country and as an act of self defense found it necessary to participate in ridding the world of Nazism and Fascism about to be imposed on the world by Germany, Japan and Italy.
             Augustine's first principle, a just cause, requires any nation waging war to respond when confronted with an unquestioned danger which would be lasting, grave and certain. Nazi aggression in Europe, Japanese a...