Just war and wartime propaganda

[SeanF1989]

Is wartime propaganda during a just war permitted? For example; we can all agree World War II was a just war however I have seen propaganda from that time that refers to the Japanese and Germans as rats, monsters and subhuman and calls to slaughter every single of them.

Was that permissible?

Here is an example.

 

[Timothysis]

Permissable by who? Do you think the Church has an opinion or declaration on everything written, printed or spoken in the world?

 

[unstoppable_II]

My own personal take on the propaganda is that it depends on who is meant by “rats”, etc. The purpose of the Just War Doctrine is to minimize the damage and deaths due to the prosecution of the war. I would take the sign as an encouragement to the defense worker that his efforts are making a difference in winning the war. I don’t think it is an encouragement to mistreat the enemy.

On a different note, a just war must have a reasonable chance of success. Is it possible for a just war to evolve into an unjust one by gradually putting extraordinary restraints on its troops in the combat zones to the point where there is no longer a reasonable chance of success?

 

[edarlitrix]

I don’t know why it would be permissible… . it’s not as though calling people subhuman is the only way to get people to support a just war… I think there are other ways.