People today look at historic events not in their own context, but the irrelevant present context. (Hence the, “do you feel any regret” questions.) We, as observers of the past, have to attempt to put ourselves into the context in which the actions took place. I saw a presentation recently stating that American marines committed war criminal acts by shooting Japs when they could have taken them prisoner at Okinawa. When the people around you are dying wholesale, some killed by an enemy they assumed might be surrendering, then the only thing to do is survive. Assume any enemy you see is attempting to kill you and take the appropriate action. Not the action somebody who has never seen combat, and never lived anywhere but a college dorm, thinks they would have taken in your place.
General - Good reminder. Iwo Jima also illustrates what the US was up against. It was reported that of the 20000 plus Japanese soldiers there, after 35 days of battle, all but about 215 died. They fought to the death. It was thought that if the main islands were invaded, there was a good chance that the civilians also would fight to the death. I have not studied too much about Hirohito, but the significance of his decision to surrender cannot be understated and saved millions more lives, after all the lives that had already been lost.