“And? How long could they last? After Nagasaki they were still stalling in the face of naval bombardments and an 800 plane B-29 raid. The US would have been stupid to blockade and cease all attacks, the Japs need a convincing show of power. Fortunately they didn’t know how many bombs we had, but there would have been three more by October. Had they not capitulated they would have got those as well.”
Well, that’s the question isn’t it? How long could they have lasted in 1945? I don’t think they would have been able to hold out through the winter.
Would you have been willing to bet the lives of a million US Servicemen on it?
I doubt it too, we would have had many bombs by then. Many Japs dead from starvation, but not all, via blockade. Is the method of their death the deciding factor? More likely would have died than died via the bomb, along with the Allied POWs. Doesn't seem like a good trade. We kept the faith with our POWs by ending the war quickly. MacArthur would have had two extra pens at the surrender ceremony had we relied on the blockade though.
At the end of the war, the Japs had 2,000,000 men under arms on the home isands, and 3000 operational aircraft. In addition they 'militarized' uncounted civilians and were planning on using them as fodder or suicide soldiers. How many would have died via the blockade? The bomb(s) were the only good option in terms of sparing lives on both sides, and saving out POWs, in effect, they were the only righteous option. We can thank God they worked so well.