People forget that the US continued to bomb Japan with conventional bombs after Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
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I recently read somewhere, perhaps here on FR, that the Tokyo bombing was more devastating than either of the A-bomb drops.
“the Tokyo bombing was more devastating than either of the A-bomb drops.”
Estimates are 97,000 killed in one night of firebombing.
70,000 to 135,000 in Hiroshima
60,000 to 80,000 in Nagasaki
Atomic bomb deaths include longer term deaths from radiation exposure.
Atomic bombs prompted Japanese surrender because they were unworldly and Japan did not lose face. It was like submitting to a force of nature and not bowing to an enemy. Otherwise they might never have called it quits. A proud race.
In terms of lives and area destroyed, yes.