> and maybe actually more the non-horrific but relentless robotic support for the war (or obedience towards the emperor, government, etc) among the people

That is a lot of words to say "civilians trying to survive during a war".

To make it even worse, the war criminals, that ones that were part of the "horrors of the Japanese war machine" were spared by the USA after the war. Fearing an increase influence of Communism in Asia, the USA let the war criminals go unpunished.

Targeting civilians while sparing war criminals is hardly a moral stand point.