Prior to the US entry into WWI, German subs attacked the sea ruthlessly, sinking anything in sight. In Wilson s speech for declaration of war against Germany, he states, Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help of mercy for those on board. Innocent civilians were being killed left and right by German subs. This fits Poigman s sixth criteria of deontological theory. It states that Just War theory makes a distinction between combatants and non-combatants.
Civilian bombing is outlawed by international law.
Thus Wilson s reasons match Poigman s Just War theory. Germans were killing civilians without remorse, which destroys Poigman s deontological theory, and thus justifying Wilson s call for war on Germany. Wilson s speech also holds Poigman s fourth criteria for the deontological theory, which is that war is justified if it is declared with the intention of bringing peace and holding respect for the enemy. In Wilson s speech he writes, The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty.