&gt;<i>The destruction of Alderaan, then, is more analogous to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki than it is to a “genocide.”</i> Yes, it was horrible, and yes, it would be nice if it didn’t happen. But it was an attack on a legitimate military target and defensible under Just War Theory, an attack intended to save lives by deterring other major powers from beginning conflicts of their own.*<p>It always amazes me that people think that (enabled by specially crafted and promoted nationalist histories of course -- especially the kind taught at school).<p>First, the war was ending and Japan was surrendering, they just had a few save-face conditions instead of total surrender.<p>Second, those two cities were not military targets -- cities full of men, women and children, civilians.<p>Third, the main issue was not Japan, but to do a live demonstration of the new assets, and instill fear on any post-war (that is, cold war) enemy.