That’s the eternal question. Too much retaliation isn’t just immoral, it’s tactically foolish. You horrify your allies and incite revenge. Too little on the other hand and you don’t deter.

While I think we should have gone harder in punishment to the active members of the axis governments, I think the post WW2 rebuilding is probably best. Leaders and propagandists are targeted and punished and there’s a period of hardship, but you help them rebuild while pressing them towards a less destructive attitude towards you.

The only way to kill your way to peace is to kill everyone. Real peace requires creating an environment where enough of both sides want peace and violence isn’t worth it.