They (airmen, veterans, etc.) did not started the war...they fought the war for Politicians
I don't want the thread to get into politics beyond saying that one should not generalise about the tens of millions who fought: some volunteered, some were conscripted, some would have been enthusiastic British or Japanese Imperialists, National Socialists, Communists; others would have been indifferent or outright opposed to their own governments. Also, there was a substantial crossover between politicians and veterans. Thanks to mass mobilisation, a European in a senior governmental or military position in 1939 had probably fought in the Great War as had many American generals in 1941 (sorry, I don't know about those in government in the USA).