[Blackwatch]

"With hindsight I do believe that the Emperor was searching for a way for peace. But it would have taken time. It was a very tricky situation." ~ Kitty

Sorry, but I absolutely disagree...The sons and daughters of Nippon were actively working to literally take over the world, along with the Axis Powers under a unified formal alliance developed way before the start of of ANY hostilies...The Japanese saw themselves as a 'pure' culture and openly despised the descendent's of mass migrations from Europe (from France, Britain, Spain...etc...) as mongrels, both unworthy and unfit to simply live, except in servitude the living God, the Emperor of Japan...

With the oil sanctions emplaced from the U.S. because of the US Gunboat Panay sinking and the invasion of Manchuria for it's resources, TOTAL war was inevitable...a total war to the knife and MASS killings started on a scale BY Japan, Germany and Italy NEVER before seen, way outdoing the First World War...The Formal Axis Alliance was for Germany to push through Europe to India and for Japan to push through China and Burma to link up in India...thus cutting off ALL Allied military missions and lines of communication and resources, to conquer and hold the ENTIRE world....and they damn near did it too...

The utter contempt the Japanese held for those military and civilian directly lead to the Rape of Nanking, the LARGEST mass surrender of troops by both the British and American Armies EVER, along with the relish with total barbarism and glee the Japanese slaughtered MILLIONS before they were pushed back on the defensive is now in the History Books...Thank God...fact is the fire bombings of Japan killed WAY more the Atomic Bomb ever did...and there is evidence that Japan was well on it's way the Atomic Bomb, along with Germany (Germany was just SIX months away from having this when it surrendered)...and there is a documented account of Japan sending a "I"-class sub with a plane carrying a radiological bomb to be dropped on California...

The huge increase of casualties that the Allies incurred caused the dread and open fear of the planned invasion of Japan...I don't think you realize just how close we all came to LOSSING the war IN IT"S FINAL STAGES...

The summary conclusions of the 1945 Intelligence Report on the proposed invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) was as follows:

1. Japan would not surrender unconditionally without a demonstration of total destruction.

2. In an invasion of the Japanese home islands, the people would fight to the death to protect their nation.

3. An invasion of the Japanese home islands would cost approximately 1 million American casualties and perhaps 10 million Japanese. (many historians and Intel Analysts think and suggest THE ENTIRE Japanese culture would die because Hirohito at first would NEVER surrender and the invasions would still be necessary despite the 2 Atomic detonations!!!)

Yes...it was necessary and needed....