My uncle flew past Nagasaki a day or two after the bombing there and said he immediately knew the war would be over very soon as there was “nothing left”. He also spent time in Shanghai before his ETS. He did not have a favorable opinion of the Japanese war machine.
He bought his first foreign made car in the early 80s, a Japanese model. I said to him, I am surprised you bought an enemy made car. He said, well, the war has been over for almost 40 years, time to move on, besides I hate the UAW more.
The best “end piece” to the war has to be the “Best Years of our Lives,” from 1946. I tear up every time I see it.