If we had

[Masherbrum]

Chalenge, we bombed tokyo worse than the nagasaki and hiroshima bombings. Yet, the two atomic bombs saved more lives than it took.

Absolutely!  Most "Anti-Atomic Bomb" folks either are ignorant of the Tokyo Fire Raids or unaware of the MUCH severe Tokyo Fire Raids.   1 Million+ Dead in March of 45.  

[uptown]

The high cost of the atomic program was in research and development, building whole cities to house workers and the building of the equipment. But once that was done these bombs could be produced quickly compared to what it took to get to that point to begin with. Heck, if we made only 1 a week that would be pretty good IMO.

[AAJagerX]

Definately...  the fire-bombing had a much greater impact than the nukes.

[Wayout]

Definately...  the fire-bombing had a much greater impact than the nukes.

And yet it was the nukes that ended the war.

[Babalonian]

And yet it was the nukes that ended the war.

I think this is because Japan understood inside and out the concept of fire bombing... maybe even in some twisted way interpretted it as karma.  They themselves were fond of the tactic and strategy, and widely used it to devastating effect on cities and urban populations during its conquest of Indo-China.  Atomic bombs though... one plane - one bomb - widespread devastation... this was a weapon that was new, strange (fear), and never before seen by the world until Japan's enemy started dropping it over their home island.

[Reaper90]

I dont think it matters since the bombs we DID use were so expensive to make (in fact I think we were Winchester).

THAT is the rub, sir... they didn't know we had used the only two we had at the time..... as far as they knew we were able to drop one right after another until there was no more Japan.... and that's why they capitulated.

Had they known otherwise..... they would have been no more inclined to surrender when they did than they were on any other island in the entire pacific, perhaps even less inclined..... because they were now defending home soil.

[fudgums]

And yet it was the nukes that ended the war.

The atomic bombs wiped the cities off the map, with one bomb. If you thought the USA could drop as many as they wanted, wouldn't you have thought about your countries citizens?

[TheBug]

Can not forget the impact of the USSR's declaration of war on Japan's surrender.  They were attempting to mediate peace through the Soviets.

[Chalenge]

Back in the day and even recently the Japanese have said that the nuke attacks had no bearing on their decision. Sorry but the legend of the nukes ending the war is just legend.

The fact is it took too long even after we understood the process to make these bombs and after the second salvo there wasnt another bomb available (at least not right away). To bomb all of Japan would have taken hundreds of bombs.

Good thing we didnt if you know what I mean.

[Tupac]

With the development of the atomic bomb, invasion was no longer a option.

Invasion was on the table up until the day Japan surrendered. McCarthur wanted to be the hero of the pacific, and still wanted to invade Japan even after the second atomic bomb ws dropped.

It is believed by some that if the russians hadnt invaded they wouldnt have surrendered.

Just a thought

[OOZ662]

Back in the day and even recently the Japanese have said that the nuke attacks had no bearing on their decision. Sorry but the legend of the nukes ending the war is just legend.

Given that Japanese culture is and was so heavily based on honor in the observer's eyes, I'd have to look at that with suspicion; losing a mindgame like that would be a severe blow to a Samurai mind.

[68Hawk]

Invaded Japan. What would have happened? I've been thinking about this for a couple days now.

No baby boom?

[Ghosth]

My dad would have been in the first wave of rangers that jumped into Japan if we had invaded.

Chances of his making it home, slim.

Japanese government had been brainwashing the people for years to fight with whatever they had.
Down to the little ol lady with a hidden knife.

Yes it would have been truly ugly.

As bad as the bomb was, it was better by far than the alternatives.

[Reaper90]

Back in the day and even recently the Japanese have said that the nuke attacks had no bearing on their decision. Sorry but the legend of the nukes ending the war is just legend.

There are also people in Germany and elsewhere that deny the holocaust ever happened.

There are plenty of people in Japan who refuse to acknowledge the crimes commited by the Japanese against their neighbors during the war, and plenty who maintain that the US created the war with Japan.

The facts state otherwise.

[Masherbrum]

My dad would have been in the first wave of rangers that jumped into Japan if we had invaded.

Chances of his making it home, slim.

Japanese government had been brainwashing the people for years to fight with whatever they had.
Down to the little ol lady with a hidden knife.

Yes it would have been truly ugly.

As bad as the bomb was, it was better by far than the alternatives.

I never would have known my Grandfather.   Absolutely spot on.