It seems with each passing year, more people believe that the two fission bombs dropped on Japan were not needed to end the war. The enemy was defeated they insist, and would soon submit to unconditional surrender as outlined by the Allies. They retain this opinion despite the massive carpet bombing of Japanese cities by huge air raids from B-29s. These raids had destroyed most of their major cities throughout 1944-45, yet not a word was heard from Japan about bringing an end to the war.
Others insist that the Japanese were intent on continuing the war, hoping to inflict enough casualties that the Allies would sue for peace on terms more acceptable to Japan. Were they intent on seeing untold millions perish in a hellish war of attrition? Reports indicate they had built and retained thousands of Kamikaze planes to severely damage the invasion fleet which would be required to invade the Japanese home islands. They had also taught nearly all able-bodied civilians, including very young boys and girls, to fight to the death, with sharpened bamboo poles as weapons.
Was the use of these new weapons only meant to end the war? Or could the reason be manifold, such as finding out the level of damage such weapons could cause to a city, and perhaps send a message to the Soviets that nuclear weapons gave the West a new technology against the threat of communist domination?
What is the real story behind that most remarkable end to the Empire of Japan, and the use of these terrible new weapons?