In war, the definition of “civilians” is shaky. Civilians are working in the munitions plants and transporting troops in trains. In England, people were assembling airplane parts in their homes.
Sherman didn’t burn Atlanta to free the slaves. He did it to punish the South.
Goes back to what I said - don’t start a war.
I’m sure those who survived the Japanese atrocity in Nanking had zero problem with atomic weapons being used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
War is Hell. So figure out how to live in peace and leave other people alone and everybody gets to live another day.
Or not.