In one issue of National Geographic they showed a picture of the map that Truman had on the wall of his office while they were planning the invasion of Japan. The numbers of men, tanks, trucks and guns etc. that went with each of the arrows were stupendous. The estimated days, weeks and months for each objective to be achieved are also pencilled in, as well as the expected casualty figures (for both sides) etc.
If any of us were in Truman's chair, looking at that map, when a boffin was ushered into the room to advise us that they had perfected the atom bomb and had some ready for immediate use, that map clearly tells us what the answer must be.
Harsh though the conclusion may be, those two bombs saved the lives of millions, protected Japanese culture and by giving us a proper abhorrence of the consequences of nuclear warfare, have kept the world free of global-scale conflict ever since.
Hiroshima Day remains special to me.
BS.
(Born on the 6th of August)