[Jimbo@]

Short Hand, I dont think you understand the circumstances here. I bet if you were a chinese, who had grandparents in Japanese occupied territory your opinion would be vastly different. Imagine the millions of people in the Japanese empire who were suffering terribly under the burden every minute and every day. If the Americans had invaded Japan instead of dropping the nuclear bomb thousands of Americans and Japanese but also civilians under Japanese occupation would had to endure the war for months. The Japanese liked to lash out their anger on the occupied victims, usually after a defeat from the Americans or bombing by them. You can say the nuke not just effectively saved more Japanese and American lives, but also the ones in the rest of Asia.
The Japanese were given many chances to surrender, but they didnt. After all those bombings, defeats and even after a nuclear attack. They kept on fighting. It was apparent to the US high command the Japanese military government had every intention to fight to the last man.