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You know that Japan was preparing for intense defense fight in case the main island gets invaded, right? Here is from War Journal of the Imperial Headquarters:

by notreal 12y ago

You know that Japan was preparing for intense defense fight in case the main island gets invaded, right? Here is from War Journal of the Imperial Headquarters: "We can no longer direct the war with any hope of success. The only course left is for Japan's one hundred million people to sacrifice their lives by charging the enemy to make them lose the will to fight." In light of this, what do you suggest US should have done?

gdwatson 12y ago
Offered terms short of unconditional surrender.
- jordanb 12y ago
  The Potsdam Declaration was the offer on the table from the Allies. It mentioned unconditional surrender but the actual terms were much more nuanced: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration In particular it promised that Japan would be allowed to govern herself after an occupation. The Russian role in all of this is also pretty nuanced. They didn't sign the Potsdam Deceleration because they weren't yet at war with Japan. Once Russia was in the war then the status of Potsdam became questionable for the Japanese government, it was a classic high-pressure sales tactic. "Take this offer before it expires." The emperor mentioned the atomic bomb as a reason for the surrender in his rescript, but that was likely just a face-saving excuse. The government already demonstrated its willingness to let the entire population of Japan die fighting the allies so it doesn't seem too reasonable that they'd quibble over the means.
- InTheArena 12y ago
  The point of view then was that the war occurred because Germany had no truly been defeated in World War I. All where concerned with not seeing another world war. In addition, there is no evidence that any peace proposal would have been acceptable to the cabinet at this time.
ekianjo 12y ago
Come on, the Japanese were already about to surrender when they learnt that the Russians, having dealt with the German side of the front, would land in Japan. Japan was already utterly destroyed by that time, it was only a matter of time for total capitulation.
rurounijones 12y ago
What about a naval blockade? No need to land troops and war-fighting ability would be quickly crippled without fuel and food etc. Almost worked on the UK.
- dba7dba 12y ago
  Blockade? Japanese govt would've just watched their population die of starvation and still not surrender.
  - rurounijones 12y ago
    I guess that is a [citation needed]. Definitely a possibility but something for the historians to debate I guess.
    - dba7dba 12y ago
      100,000 Japanese civilians died in one night of bombing. And the govt presses on, and 40,000 civilians died on Okinawa. Japan still refused to surrender. Not much better proof needed to show that Japanese leadership would've watched their population die of starvation over months and years.
      - rurounijones 12y ago
        A blockade, no fuel, no food, Russian invasion imminent unless surrender to the US. this is a big "What if" and I do not think we can say outcome A or B with any certainty.
      - ekianjo 12y ago
        > Japan still refused to surrender. Japan had no capacity to attack anywhere anymore. All of its fleet had been sunk. What was the point of leveling the country to the ground, when the opponent is already KO and on its knees ?
        adventured 12y ago

by notreal 12y ago

gdwatson 12y ago

Offered terms short of unconditional surrender.

jordanb 12y ago
The Potsdam Declaration was the offer on the table from the Allies. It mentioned unconditional surrender but the actual terms were much more nuanced: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration In particular it promised that Japan would be allowed to govern herself after an occupation. The Russian role in all of this is also pretty nuanced. They didn't sign the Potsdam Deceleration because they weren't yet at war with Japan. Once Russia was in the war then the status of Potsdam became questionable for the Japanese government, it was a classic high-pressure sales tactic. "Take this offer before it expires." The emperor mentioned the atomic bomb as a reason for the surrender in his rescript, but that was likely just a face-saving excuse. The government already demonstrated its willingness to let the entire population of Japan die fighting the allies so it doesn't seem too reasonable that they'd quibble over the means.
InTheArena 12y ago
The point of view then was that the war occurred because Germany had no truly been defeated in World War I. All where concerned with not seeing another world war. In addition, there is no evidence that any peace proposal would have been acceptable to the cabinet at this time.

ekianjo 12y ago

Come on, the Japanese were already about to surrender when they learnt that the Russians, having dealt with the German side of the front, would land in Japan. Japan was already utterly destroyed by that time, it was only a matter of time for total capitulation.

rurounijones 12y ago

What about a naval blockade? No need to land troops and war-fighting ability would be quickly crippled without fuel and food etc. Almost worked on the UK.

dba7dba 12y ago
Blockade? Japanese govt would've just watched their population die of starvation and still not surrender.
- rurounijones 12y ago
  I guess that is a [citation needed]. Definitely a possibility but something for the historians to debate I guess.
  - dba7dba 12y ago
    100,000 Japanese civilians died in one night of bombing. And the govt presses on, and 40,000 civilians died on Okinawa. Japan still refused to surrender. Not much better proof needed to show that Japanese leadership would've watched their population die of starvation over months and years.
    - rurounijones 12y ago
      A blockade, no fuel, no food, Russian invasion imminent unless surrender to the US. this is a big "What if" and I do not think we can say outcome A or B with any certainty.
    - ekianjo 12y ago
      > Japan still refused to surrender. Japan had no capacity to attack anywhere anymore. All of its fleet had been sunk. What was the point of leveling the country to the ground, when the opponent is already KO and on its knees ?
      - adventured 12y ago