Reply #6: Possibly. [View All]

[benburch]

At the time we thought Japan would resist to the last man, woman, and child. And we had reason to do so; The Kamakazi and Kaiten suicide attacks were most alarming.

Worse, with the war done in Europe, Stalin had moved most of his army to the East, and was preparing to enter the Pacific War. Had he done so, we would have had to parcel up Japan as we did Europe. So there was an additional motive to have the war done ASAP.

Truman acted upon the best advice he had, and I think I would have made the same choice he did were I in his place.

Hell, it still looks like a good choice from here, except for the choice of targets.