I get bent out of shape with thinking like this and arguments against the using of the two atom bombs. Do you realize that the Japanese are killing an estimated 250,000 people a month in china by 1944? I think the total loss of Japanese to the raids was under 300,000. Do you take into account the 500,000 casualties the Americans were estimating would be caused in the planned stages of the invasion of Japan? What about the 1 to 2 million estimated Japanese casualties taken in that same invasion? The Japanese fought to the death for outposts, how would they fight for the homeland? Curtis LeMay did the entire world a great service by launching those raids on his own initiative in order to bring this cataclysm to an end and he deserves to be remembered for it.
ok, I'm stepping off my soapbox now. 
not only that but he knew the US didnt have the money to pay for an invastion of the japanese home islands. i mean hell the bond drive after the flag raising on iwo gave them just enough the invade okinawa. anothing this was alot of people in the government thought it would be over a million casualties just to take japan itself.
or he was in the know, about the US debt. will we ever know the truth as to why he ordered it probrably not. but hey. war isnt fair nor is it a nice thing to do.
