“Germans and Japanese were inherently evil. Once they were eliminated peace would reign.”
“Nonsense.”
Nonsense indeed, this is not my opinion but the propaganda peddled at the time. “The age of imperialism” is past. That sounds like Francis Fukuyama’s end of history. Imperialism ended because the leaders of the U.S. said it was ended. Modernists are happy with the status quo. Good luck with that.
Looking for a “morally superior outcome.” Remember the Rape of Nanking. Well that was a tea party compared to what Mao did to the Chinese people.
“Germany and imperial Japan were . . . posing more of threat.” That was not the view of the vast majority of Americans prior to the FDR provoked attack on Pearl Harbor. The Soviets had already exterminated over 6 million subjects and expanded their empire (Tanu Tuva and Eastern Europe).
You can’t have it both ways.
Again, your sense of history conflates consequences as intent. That is no more than “what if” looking backwards.