But you understand that's conceding the original point though, right?
I believe that war is war.
All is on the table in total war.
Julius Cesar had no qualms eliminating entire cities, murdering women & children, raping pillaging & enslaving. The tactics of Rome brought about the 200 year Pax Romana.
If we had allowed Patton to destroy the Red Army after WWII & allowed Douglas MacArthur to invade & destroy the Chinese Communists in the 1950’s we would likely have saved untold hundreds of millions of Chinese & Russian lives in the long run. We would also have a truly free Russia & a China that would be Taiwan instead of the Bully of Asia. We indiscriminately murdered hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians during the war. Now they are among the freest & most prosperous nations on Earth & a valued ally.
Sherman's tactics saved lives. Union lives as well as Confederate lives. The atom bomb saved lives. Both American & Japanese. The fact that we were willing to do whatever necessary to destroy the enemy & their will to resist was essential to end the killing. War crimes? Only if you are the victim. Our enemies would show us no kindness.