[reg45]

If it makes the Japanese feel any better, they should realize that the destruction of their two cities and 240,000 people probably prevented a nuclear exchange between the US and the Soviets.

They also fail to comment on the million or more Japanese people who would have been killed in a US / Soviet invasion of the main islands.

[wtc911]

Your post triggered a thought. What if the war had dragged on long enough for Stalin to fulfill his Yalta commitment beyond a Manchurian campaign. What if we had waited the invasion of the main islands long enough for our ETO troops and Soviet troops to arrive in PTO? Would our plans have included a dozen or even one Soviet Division? If yes then would there have been a post VJ division of Japan into separate and decidedly unequal Soviet and US run sectors ala post VE Germany?