Japan wanted a conditional surrender with really their only condition being don't kill the emperor. The US nuked them, imposed an unconditional surrender, then didn't kill the emperor anyway.

Japan also had basically no ships, no planes, and no fuel to run ships or planes anyway at that point.

[–] SovietBeerTruckOperator@hexbear.net 30 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Weren't there high ranking people in both the US and USSR saying "Hey they'll surrender if we promise not to kill the emperor, idk why this nuke thing is necessary"?

[–] ElChapoDeChapo@hexbear.net 47 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

It was never about Japan really, it was about keeping the Soviets from being part of the liberation of Japan and keeping them from getting anything

Also about sending an extremely thinly veiled threat

Plus a bit of human experimentation for how the bomb itself affected the human body

Truly up there with all the other unforgivable crimes of this cursed country even if it isn't in competition for the top spot

[–] GrouchyGrouse@hexbear.net 16 points 3 days ago

This. It was an island that could not survive in isolation under a total blockade. The end was inevitable. But the Soviets had just crushed the (previously) largest land army in human history and were on pace to redraw the map in East Asia so the USA deployed its big stick to ensure it would be at the High Table of World Events for the foreseeable future.

That nuking Japan would encourage Japan to surrender directly to the USA and cede control of the home islands to the USA was a nice bonus on top of the "remind/terrify the rest of the world that we're in charge" reason they did it.

Japan was, for these ghouls, really the ideal target for the purpose.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 39 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Yeah, did you know that Truman didn't even know we had the bomb until after FDR died because FDR didn't trust him?

Really, the only explanations that make any sense as to why the US dropped the bomb are:

Truman was a bloodthirsty dipshit who had no comprehension of what he was doing

And/or

The Soviets and CPC were liberating Japanese holdings on the mainland quickly and the US wanted to skip a negotiated surrender, especially one where communists had a seat at the negotiating table, and hurry up the end of the war on purely amerikkkan terms

[–] Are_Euclidding_Me@hexbear.net 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (2 children)

Edit: I'm a dingus, please disregard.

~~Hey, in your last sentence there, do you mean to say "one where no communists had a seat at the negotiating table"? I'm usually not one to point out typos, but this one seems like it changes your point quite a lot and could cause confusion!~~

[–] Keld@hexbear.net 11 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

Probably not. They wanted to avoid avoid a situation where the Soviets were at the negotiation table, and that's what the sentence says.

[–] Are_Euclidding_Me@hexbear.net 8 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Oh shit, you're right! I'm the one who can't read! Thanks!

[–] Keld@hexbear.net 7 points 3 days ago

It happens to all of us

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 5 points 3 days ago

stalin-heart

[–] Blakey@hexbear.net 13 points 3 days ago (1 children)

Even the whole "America wanted an unconditional surrender" thing is BS, there's no such thing as an unconditional surrender, it's a nonsense idea.

[–] buckykat@hexbear.net 18 points 3 days ago

Also amerikkka left Japanese troops armed in China to fight the Communists in the hopes that the Nationalist losers could accomplish something after forcing Japan's surrender.