I saw some coverage on KTSF's broadcast of NHK news this morning that was about Hiroshima. I wasn't sure why it was on until I saw at the end "58".
I recently saw another program on TV (I forget where exactly) saying that Truman had information from the Joint Chiefs that a US invasion of Japan would suffer light casualties (on the order of 10,000 allied soldiers), that the Japanese people were demoralized, that they had no infrastructure to defend themselves with, and so on. The US had total air superiority, with no Japanese air resistance to speak of. Even the Japanese military had recognized that they had lost the war at this point already. The Russians were asked to broker a surrender deal with the US that allowed the emperor to retain his position.
And yet they used the bomb.
Why? To keep Russia out of Japan. To test the atom bomb on an unspoiled city (and not a "Military base" as Truman said in his speech). To intimidate the world and the Japanese emperor.
This was truly a sad day in history.
-molo
With your bare hands?!?