this is gonna be interesting, but did you suggest any other possibly way that could have ended the war? i'm curious coz how would you stop a country whose people pretty much wouldnt stop fighting?
This is taken directly from my report; I didn't think you'd want to read all 10 pages. If you don't believe this, I'll post my bibliography.
Evidence shows that many US leaders were well aware that a clarification of the “unconditional surrender” policy may have elicited a quick Japanese surrender. Indeed, Truman originally also felt that a clarification of surrender terms would be advisable, and would save a significant number of lives; Japanese culture did not permit the type of surrender which the US appeared to be requiring. As Joseph C. Grew, acting Secretary of State, wrote:
“The greatest obstacle to unconditional surrender by the Japanese is their belief that this would entail the destruction or permanent removal of the Emperor and the institution of the throne. If some indication can now be given the Japanese that they themselves, when once thoroughly defeated and rendered impotent to wage war in the future, will be permitted to determine their own future political structure, they will be afforded a method of saving face without which surrender will be highly unlikely.”
The Japanese viewed their leader as a deity rather than as a fallible human being, This rather primitive notion was carefully reinforced by the Japanese government. For this reason, soldiers were obliged to die for the emperor if damage to the throne seemed imminent. And this statement by Roosevelt (spoken on February 12, 1943) actually threatened the Emperor directly:
“The only terms on which we shall deal … are the terms proclaimed in Casablanca: ‘unconditional surrender.’… we do mean to impose punishment and retribution in full upon their guilty, barbaric leaders.”
A loyal Japanese citizen would, from this statement, perceive the threat to the emperor, and would feel personally unable to surrender to America, ultimately lengthening the war. The leaders of America were aware of this perception of the emperor as divine. A study by MacArthur’s Southwest Pacific Command in 1944 concluded that:
“… to dethrone or hang the emperor would cause a tremendous and violent reaction from all Japanese. Hanging of the Emperor to them would be comparable to the crucifixion of Christ to us… The war would be unduly prolonged, our losses heavier than would otherwise be necessary.”
Despite the urging of many officials, the surrender terms were not clarified. Hence, the Japanese were never fully aware of American intentions regarding surrender, although their obtainment of this information could easily have eliminated the need for either an invasion or the use of the atomic bomb.
The scientists who worked in the Manhattan Project provided yet another alternative to an immediate attack against Japan. Some European refugee scientists had felt that, if Germany were no longer a threat, the bomb’s use should have been impeded. Others felt that the dropping of the bomb on Japan would instigate difficulties in controlling the disastrous potential of atomic power during peacetime. Many of these scientists collaboratively wrote the Franck report (in June 1945), which proposed that the bomb should be demonstrated in an uninhabited area for an audience consisting of delegates from numerous nations:
“…the military advantages and the saving of American lives, achieved by the sudden use of atomic bombs against Japan, may be outweighed by the ensuing loss of confidence and wave of horror and repulsion…
From this point of view, a demonstration of the new weapon may best be made before the eyes of representatives of all United Nations, on the desert or a barren island…”
These passages clearly state the advantages of inhibiting the use of the weapon. America, as a major world leader, would lose respect as a humanitarian nation should the bomb be used against Japan. This report also contains a refutation to another justification for using the bomb; America had invested too much money in the bomb for its use to be withheld.
“Another argument which could be quoted in favor of using atomic bombs as soon as they are available is that so much taxpayers' money has been invested in these Projects that the Congress and the American public will require a return for their money… as soon as the potentialities of nuclear weapons will be revealed to the American people, one can be certain that it will support all attempts to make the use of such weapons impossible.”
The authors of the Franck Report believed that American citizens would be horrified by the immense destruction nuclear weapons could cause, for they themselves were apprehensive of their own creation. Even those who poured so much effort into conceiving the bomb, who, for a period of time, devoted their lives to it, were willing to spurn the fruits of their labor if it could forestall the introduction of such a potentially catastrophic weapon to society. Their cohesive alternative to, and earnest criticisms of, the potential use of the bomb exemplify the doubt of some of America’s finest minds.
Topic: things you're country did wrong!