For those who wonder if dropping two bombs actually saved lives of Americans AND Japanese here are a few facts and a suggestion.
Take a trip to Okinawa and visit Peace Prayer Park.
It's easy to find. It's right next to the Suicide Cliffs just down the road a ways from the Japanese Naval Underground Headquarters.
There you will see the names of 200,656 men, women and children inscribed on black marble slabs who died on that tiny island in the last battle of World War II.
Japanese 188,136
From other prefectures (soldiers and civilian employees) 65,908
From Okinawa (soldiers and civilian employees) 28,228
From Okinawa (civilians fighting in battles) 56,861
From Okinawa (non-fighting civilians) 37,139
Americans 12,520
Following the battle there was not one thing on the island growing or man-made that was over 24 inches high. The entire population of the island was 574,368 and there were 4.72 artillery shells fired per person during the battle.
While you are there be sure and view the Naval Underground Headquarters. While there you will see a room where the high command filed into a room with hand grenades and pulled the pins on themselves rather than surrender. Of course, this was only days after the Japanese soldiers there had bayoneted the babies of civilian employees to keep them from crying and giving away their position to the Americans.
Be sure to enjoy the crystal clear waters under the Suicide Cliffs. They were not always so clear. In June of 1945 civililians and soldiers alike jumped to their deaths rather than surrender to the Americans.
Then consider that not one but two bombs had to be dropped before the Japanese surrendered and how many lost their lives compared to Okinawa without one American casualty.
Oh! By the way. The civilians who died on Okinawa. They were not a part of any industrial base either. But they fought, and died, just as energetically as their cousins on the main Japanese islands would have.
Good point.
Bingo! Or if you have more time, and less money to travel, read one of the many good histories of events. I suggest With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E. B. Sledge and The Battle of Okinawa: The Blood and the Bomb by George Feifer.