This section of the book really offers some perspective on the whole topic.

I’m a german. Members of my family died in WWII. Tens of thousands of germans died during the allied bombings of civilian targets like Dresden and other cities.
Still I am glad the allies did that – because it was necessary to depose of the fascist regime we had back then! The US joining the war and helping defeat Nazi germany was what allowed me to grow up in a democratic country without having to fear for my life constantly. A country where I might not share the opinions of my leaders or even despise some of them, but where I won’t be put in a concentration camp because of it.
By 1945 a good portion of the german people were as weary of the war as their british or french neighbours. Many even welcomed the (western) Allies, because they were afraid Stalin might get to them first. I’m not saying there weren’t fanatics who would have fought to the death – Nazi propaganda was too efficient for that, but germany had known democracy before Hitler and had known defeat in another World War. The german people knew that life would go on after a surrender and cities could be rebuilt.
Japan had never known defeat in recent history. The Japanese propaganda machine was just as efficient as the Nazi’s. It was unthinkable to surrender to an american, because americans were barbarous monsters.
Of course noone can say for sure whether Japan would have eventually surrendered without the bombs, but my personal opinion is, that the assumption of a lot more lives – civillian or otherwise) being lost in case of an invasion is a plausible one after the battle of Okinawa. Anyone who disagrees, please read this article first: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Okinawa
Everyone has to know for himself what he would have done in that position. The choice of options was rather limited:
1. Pacifist option: Do nothing.
Japan is beaten. Go home, maybe put up an embargo. Well we all know how well weapon embargos kept Hitler from remilitarizing germany…
2. Conventional option: Keep firebombing Japan until they eventually surrender.
They’d been doing that for quite some time with questionable effect.
3. Gung-Ho Option: Invade.
After Okinawa, I understand everyone who would want to avoid this.
4. Atomic option: Try to shock Japan into surendering.
They chose number 4 and it worked. Of course it was horrible for those who lived there, but was it worse than the alternatives? Maybe, but anyone who claims to be sure is lying.

Honestly I don’t see the big debate here. The history books don’t really matter, the leaflets don’t really matter. For me, it’s simple. It should be for everyone else too I think. We were at war. Hitler declared war on us first, then his allies followed. Yes, there was Pearl Harbor, but I don’t see nuclear bombs as revenge for that. I mean, come on people! If I was the leader of a country and in the same position, hell I would use them in an instant. I would have started dropping every nuclear bomb I had on the enemy cities one at a time, and ask for a surrender after each one until the enemy finally gave up. Either my enemy would surrender or they would get their wish to die for their emporer, and I would have wiped an entire culture from existence. Either way, the war would be over. The planet was really up “sh*t creek” in WWII anyways, we had some serious trouble.

The Japanese were the final holdouts in WWII, we had defeated everyone else. We would have eventually defeated them too even without the nuclear bomb. Anyone who has studied history knows the Japanese war plans for the Allied invasion of their homeland. Suicide boats loaded with explosives to be driven into the allied ships, women and children taught how to kill the invaders, etc. People can argue if they want, but it was worth it. We dropped two bombs, killed lots of civilians, and gee, the Japanese government decided maybe they should surrender. Those civilians were cannon fodder, innocent people killed to convince their government to give up. That’s fine with me, I’d do it again in the same position. They had it coming for one reason, they agreed to join with Hitler and fight against us. And they did not surrender before we developed and used the bomb. Let’s be sure we spread the blame around to everyone who is guilty, not just the people who dropped the bombs. You may think my comments sound harsh, hateful, or evil, but war is harsh and full of death.

Here’s hoping we don’t need to use them again. But it’s in our nature to fight eachother, so it’s only a matter of time – only this time, both sides will probably have them, and it’s going to be a lot worse.

you know im right