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Killing Japanese didn’t bother me at that time. It was…

“Killing Japanese didn’t bother me at that time. It was getting the war over with that bothered me. So I wasn’t worried particularly about how many people we killed in getting the job done… . All war is immoral, and if you let it bother you, you’re not a good soldier.” quote by Ronald Schaffer
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““Killing Japanese didn’t bother me at that time. It was getting the war over with that bothered me. So I wasn’t worried particularly about how many people we killed in getting the job done… . All war is immoral, and if you let it bother you, you’re not a good soldier.””

Ronald Schaffer

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

War’s immorality outweighs strategic goals; a soldier should question the morality of killing, not just the mission.

In simple terms: War is immoral; soldiers should reflect on ethics.

Key Takeaway

Question the ethics of combat actions.

Themes

war ethics morality soldier conscience

Mood

somber conflicted thoughtful

Type

conscience:1 immoral:1 time:0 war:1 job done:0 killing japanese:0 japanese didn:0 war immoral:1 war bothered:1

When to use this quote

  • combat debriefings
  • military ethics classes
  • personal journaling on combat experiences

Key Concepts

immoral warfare psychological burden military duty

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does it mean to be a good soldier?
  • How can soldiers reconcile duty with morality?
A Different Perspective

Soldiers may suppress conscience under pressure.

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