User blog comment:Ramikad Galaxywave/Star Wars Rebels: More Issues/@comment-26430693-20141114230446

The Death Star destroying Alderaan is nothing like the US atomically bombing Japan.

There are different leadups to these two cataclysms.

First and foremost, Grand Moff Tarkin destroyed Alderaan because Princess Leia wouldn't spill her guts. Alderaan was doing nothing whatsoever  to the Empire and has tried its best to maintain a peaceful stance up until that point.

The United States of America was at war with Japan. The US was not even going to participate in World War II if it weren't for Japan attacking and bombing Pearl Harbour, KILLING innocent American civilians and militants. The United States then jumped on in and fought two fronts of the war -- one against Nazi Germany and one against Militarist Japan. The United States would have lost many more men if they hadn't bombed Japan; Japan wouldn't have surrendered if that hadn't happened. They could not sustain so much power, even though they forced innocent people to march to their death in earlier battles in the War of in the Pacific.

War has different precedents and values than in petty aggression. War is dirty and war is a heartbreaking business. The Galactic Empire didn't need to destroy a planet to make Leia spill her guts. They did it because they could and were quick to make such a decision.