[Huskrrrr]

The casualties resulting from the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa (includubg civilians)combined equaled those from the Hiroshima bomb. Invasion of Japan would have cost millions of lives.

[dfwgator]

Invasion of Japan would have cost millions of lives.

And led to a divided Japan as the Soviets would have joined in and claimed their half.

[super7man]

As I understand it, the Japanese put up incredible resistance on Okinawa so that the Ameiricans would believe it would be too costly to invade the mainland. This would allow them to sue for better peace terms.

They were right about the Americans believing that the cost of invasion would be very high (and maybe it would have been) and therefore, the decision to drop the atomic bombs was make easier for the Americans.

I am not so sure that at the time the decision was all that difficult. I asked my Dad if there was much moralizing about dropping the bombs right after it happened. His answer was simple. No.

[Smogger]

The firebombing of Tokyo in February 1945 killed more than 100K.