Almost all modern historians agree that fewer people would have died if hadn’t bombed japan, and that Japan was close to folding anyways. With increasing numbers of Allied soldiers on the US mainland and pressure from a new declaration of war from Russia, historians argue that there was likely some other motivation for bombing Japan. The figures you see today about the estimated number of lives saved were put out by the 1940’s government as more or less propaganda. Historians aren’t sure why Japan was bombed, but some theories say that maybe Truman was feeling an intense amount of pressure to show his power to Russia, a nation who was our friend in the war, but on no other playing field.
If we invaded, millions of people would have died. That isn't an issue, except that many of those people would've been our fighting men. We made Purple Hearts in anticipation of the invasion, we didn't run out of them until the 2000s. Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf Wars; all fell short of the body count we were expecting from a single operation. They weren't on the verge of unconditional surrender. They still wanted concessions from us, and had resolved to fight to the last man, woman, and child unless we played by their rules. That was unacceptable.
Sure, the Soviets played a factor. Operation Downfall would've been a joint invasion, and the Soviets already established that they weren't going to give up any of the land they took. Contrary to popular belief, they weren't our friends, they just had a bone to pick with the same guy we did.
But I digress, the bombs were the least terrible of a lot of bad options.
Sure, the Soviets played a factor. Operation Downfall would've been a joint invasion, and the Soviets already established that they weren't going to give up any of the land they took. Contrary to popular belief, they weren't our friends, they just had a bone to pick with the same guy we did.
But I digress, the bombs were the least terrible of a lot of bad options.