Dropping the bombs saved over a million lives — most of them Japanese, but plenty of American lives were saved too. It was a humanitarian act. And, no, I don’t accept the idea that Russia was about the beat Japan for us and make our invasion of the home islands unnecessary.
Saved Japan from Soviet occupation in the North.
Russian army was several thousand miles away. Would have been months before they could have had any effect.
Stupid, perverse old liberal talking point.
Soviet Stalin Russia was ready to step in and seize Sakahlin Islands and others in so called dispute since the days of the invasion of Port Arthur by Japan.
They waited to the last days when Sorge their spy in Japan let them know they were going to capitulate (even so, there are some who have speculated the military coup that failed to prevent Hirohito from directly surrendering, had suspicious backing. Most do not and think it was Tojo’s last gasp). Either way the country was preparing for complete national suicide to fight an invasion— that would have cost them 2 million civilian lives and nearly a million Allied lives (UK,US,ANZACS,etc.). The bombs 2 of them was almost not enough— but prevented these losses. The Jap Navy knew it was over long before- but the Army fanatics would not let go.
It was also a good way to keep the USSR in check for 5 years post war. Letting them know what we could do.
America would have been fighting Japan for years afterward, if unconditional surrender had not been required of them. Five or ten or twenty years, how many dead in China and southeast Asia? What if Japanese scientists had developed atomic weapons in those chaotic years we averted?
There could have been worse outcomes than the one they were dealt.
Extreme measures to end a war, are the lesser evil than pacifism or neutrality.
It was entirely coincidental that the Soviets waiting for two days after the bombing of Hiroshima to finally declare war on Japan - when it became clear that Japan was going to lose anyway!
Yeah, sure!
Regards,
“but plenty of American lives were saved too.”
If there had been an invasion and battle for Japan in late ‘45 - early ‘46, my then 18-year-old father likely would have been part of the infantry force. And he’d have had about 50% chance of not making it home, and thus me never existing. Truman and Co. did what they had to do. If you can win the war with two lousy bombs and save a half a million (or more) American lives, you do it. Truman would have deserved to be impeached, tried and executed for treason if he hadn’t dropped the damned things.