Japan had already set in motion a plan to execute every prisoner of war, about 130,000 men and women, on August 22. Had we not used the atomic bomb, we would have lost those 130,000, because Japan would not have surrendered until much later. Most people aren’t aware of Japan’s final strategy plan, Operation Ketsu-Go. Even at the beginning of August 1945 Japan’s leadership thought they could crush an invasion force and stop the allies from conquering the home islands. It was a delusional plan when you consider the Soviet factor, but even at the beginning of August the government of Japan was desperately trying to keep the Soviets out of the war via diplomatic channels. But any way you look at it, those two bombs ended the war, saved 130,000 POW lives and kept the Soviet Union from occupying most of Japan. So was it worth it? You bet it was.
I had my 5th Birthday when the Atomic Bomb fell on Hiroshima