I grew up in a very pacifist Mennonite church, and we were told stories of how, during WWII, the young men went to prison rather than serve in the military. They were held up as hero’s.
There was no talk, of course, of the horror of Hitler, or the Japanese, or how the truly brave young men went out to fight evil face to face.
Growing up that way really screwed up a part of my life, as I could never reconcile things in my mind. It took me until my 30’s to begin to see things as they were/are.
My wife and I sometimes joke that we were Mennonites until we became Christians.
Think of it this way, Christ said that he could call on a legion of angels and chose not to, because he had to submit to the will of the father.
I’ll agree with you that pacificism isn’t a requirement for all Christians, but it is a Christian response! Many times have Christians been saved through sheer chutzpah!