[Ryzorian]

Komitsuki; Don't get me wrong here, I'm not afraid of China, it's just one of several nations in the area that are involved in geopoltical theatrics. The primary point is that nations look to thier own interests first, and treaties are based on trying to protect those interests as best they can. Often this makes not only strange bedfellows but completely insane scenarios, that make little sense if taken at face value.

I'm perfectly fine with Japan being more assertive with the US, it would make our alliance stronger not weaker. I would personally prefer an active particapateing partner over a subserviant lacky anyday.

As to the bombing, that's how America fights. Just look what we did to ourselves during the Civil War. Bombed civilians, destroyed whole swaths of land, burned entire cities. Wether it's a cultural byproduct brought over from Europe or developed as a cultural aspect of the wild frontier, who knows?

You also have to understand the propaganda both sides had of the other at that time. By 1943 both sides hated and feared the other, neither side saw the other as even human. Mix a ruthless fighting style with a fearmongering leadership, one suggesting to it's people that the "enemy" was nothing more than wild beasts, and you get that.

Perhaps one way to prevent such things is to ensure such propaganda isn't spread to begin with.