BA>In any case Japan was incapable of doing *anything* at that point.  She was
BA>an island nation with no remaining commerce, her vaunted 'Kwantung Army'
BA>had been stripped and the troops sent to defend islands that the US bypassed
BA>(and many of them were drowned when the ships carrying them were sunk).
BA>Two thirds of Japan's shipping capacity had been sunk (along with most of he
BA>navy) and the rest of it was hiding in ports still controlled by Japan.  Ver
BA>little
BA>was getting through the US blockade of the islands and certainly not enough
BA>maintain either Japan's population or its remaining military.  Japan's navy
BA>reduced to one old, damaged battleship, a few destroyers and a couple of doz
BA>(very good) submarines in the home waters and a small fleet of cruisers and
BA>destroyers at Singapore.  All but a very few of Japan's experienced pilots h
BA>been
BA>killed.  While Japan does have a native supply of coal it does not have a
BA>native
BA>supply of oil.  The US could have sat back and literally starved Japan into
BA>submission,
BA>but that would have taken at least a year.

So STARVING Millions to death would be Better than dropping the Bomb
and quickly ending the war with FAR less casualities??
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 þ SLMR 2.1a þ Typo Tom strikes agaoin