Since the dawn of Christianity, thoughts of war, and the Christian conscience have often been at odds. This was a major dilemma in the early Church and continues to plague the Church today. The Just-War theory, originated by St. Augustine, has developed throughout the ages in order to justify Christian war, in the defence of peace and charity. The basis of the Just-War Theory lies in the Principle of Double Effect, which allows an evil attendant to occur, as it is inseparable from the good, which is intended. Much in the same way, the Just War Theory justifies the murder of the enemy in order to bring peace to the situation, and resist the evil of the enemy.
             The Just-War is important on a number of different levels. It tells the people of the Roman Catholic Church of the evil in the world, which man is morally obligated to express haste toward. However, although it holds great importance, many see the Just-War Theory as a useless doctrine. Pacifists around the world have written about the inadequacies of the theory, primarily the theory's inconsistency with Christ's message of loving one's neighbour. The Just-War Theory encapsulates all of the measures necessary to ensure peace, however, in circumstances where armed battle is unavoidable, the theory allows for retaliation in order to avoid a greater evil, and save Christian charity.
             When the seven principles of the modern Just-War Theory, are examined, it is evident that the theory's prime objective is to maintain peace and order. The first principal refers to just cause, meaning that the nation, which wages war, must fight in response to armed aggression or in the defense of allies, who are subject to such aggression (Spaeth, 98). Therefore it is evident that a just-war protects national security. An example of this is present in the initial American response to the Japanese attack upon
             Pearl Harbour, in that the Japanese acted as a threat to the nation ...