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Originally Posted by theonlywhiteout
I think it's a bit much to suggest the dropping of the 2 atomic bombs were the best options, in so far suggesting it saved millions of lives.
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So what were the other options.
First and foremost, the American's had intercepted communications ordering the Japanese Military to fight to the last man. Propaganda broadcasts to civilians extorted them to fight the American's to the death.
The American's were also unnerved by the Kamikaze attacks on the U.S. Navy.
The way I see it there were several options
1) Diplomacy - Wouldn't have worked, if it took two A-Bombs to end the Japanese threat, and the Japanese military didn't want to surrender after Hiroshima and Nagasaki were dust, that was the Emperor finally actually showing some balls.
2) Maritime Blockade - They would have starved that Island to death, and they might not have surrendered
3) Land Invasion - The cost of American lives would have been immense and gutted the American's of a generation of young men.
4) Continued Air Bombing - At the end of the day, casualties to Japanese Civilians like in a land campaign would have been far higher then the levels caused by the bombs, and the American's would have blasted more then two cities into the ground.
5) Use the bombs - The Yanks had the weapons, they used one, no surrender they used the second. It also kept the Soviets out of that theater of war and might have prevented Stalin from continuing to fight into asia.