258 SPECIALPROVIDENCEernGermany,wherelooting,rape, andmurderwerestillwidespread
monthsafterthesurrender.
InbothGermanyandJapan,theUnitedStateshadoriginallyenvi-
sioneda harshoccupationstrategywithmassesofwarcrimestrialsand
stricteconomiccontrols,somewhatakintotheoriginalradicalRepubli-
canprograminthepost-CivilWarSouth.Butinallthreecasesthevic-
toriousAmericansquicklylosttheappetiteforvengeanceagainstallbut
themostegregiousoffendersagainstthecode.NowheredidtheUnited
Statesinsistoneconomicreparationsonitsownaccount,andtherewas
nosignificantpopularsupportforlong-termpunitivemeasures.What-
everwassaidintheheatofbattle,eventhemostradicalReconstruction-
istsenvisionedtheSouth'sultimatereturntoitsoldpoliticalstatusand
rights.Inthesameway,soonaftertheshootingstoppedinWorldWarII,
Americanpublicopinionsimplyassumedthattheultimategoalwasfor
GermanyandJapantoresumetheirplacesinthecommunityofnations.
Noteverybodyqualifiesforsuchlenienttreatmentunderthecode.
Inparticular,repeatoffenderswillsufferincreasinglyseverepenalties.
AlthoughmanyAmericanswererevoltedbytheharshandgreedypeace
forcedonMexicoaftertheMexicanWarof 1848 (UlyssesGrantfeltthat
theCivilWarwasinpartGod'spunishmentforAmericancrimesagainst
Mexico),SantaAnna'slongrecordofperfidyandcrueltybuiltpopular
supportbothforthewarandforthepeace.Thepatternoffrontierwar-
fareinwhichfactionsina particulartribemightrenewhostilitiesinvio-
lationofanagreementhelpedsolidifytheJacksonianbeliefthatthere
wasnopointinmakingorkeepingtreatieswith"savages."
Itisnoteworthythatintheinternationalconflictsofthetwentieth
century, therewereno majorpopulist backlashescallingfor harsher
treatmentofdefeatedenemies.Americandiplomatslargelyenjoyeda
free handinrebuildingrelationswithenemieswhopassedunderthe
yoke.Therewasnopopularcryforreparationsaftereitheroftheworld
wars,nordidtheUnitedStatespresenttheSovietUnionwitha billfor
thecostsoftheColdWar.Thisshouldnotnecessarilybetakenasa sign
ofmoralsuperiority;theFrench,theBritish,andabovealltheSoviets
sufferedfarmoreatGermanhandsthanAmericansdid.Still,theten-
dencytowardgeneroustreatmentofa beatenfoehasbeenandremainsan
elementofJacksonianfeelingtowardwar.
Ontheotherhand,whenforeignenemieslackthegoodtastetosur-
render,Jacksonianscarrygrudgesthatlastfordecades.Someoftheroots
ofanti-ChinesefeelingintheUnitedStatestodaydatebacktoChinese
and North Korean mistreatment ofcapturedAmericans duringthe