Some may wonder why such excessive force was necessary. In fact, Nimitz and Eisenhower were both in disagreement with the decision to use the bomb. To understand why the bombs were dropped one would need to understand the religion of the Japanese people. According to their belief, when a person surrenders, failing the Emperor who is essentially God on earth, their soul is damned. But to fight and die for the Emperor would earn one a place in heaven. Hence, Kamikaze pilots and a refusal to surrender. In fact, that is why the Japanese treated the POWs so terribly. The POWs had surrendered which meant that their souls were damned. Care was not needed for a person who is going to hell anyway. But the Japanese military party, which had influence over the Emperor, would not surrender even in the face of major defeats.
In my humble opinion, another factor, far from the greatest, was the opportunity to show our capability to Stalin. This cannot be denied. Franklin Roosevelt knew he had entered a Faustian deal with Stalin but felt that it was justified under the conditions. Truman knew this as well and understood that the communist controlled Soviet Union would be our only foe in the post-war world. Truman knew that when he dropped the bombs that the whole world would be watching, including potential enemies who had better beware. This, coupled with our failure to cooperate with the Soviets in reconstructing Germany, would lead to a fifty year arms race. Truman's concern was that the U.S. might revert into a depression and the only way to prevent that was to maintain a wartime economy.
Using the atomic weapons on Japan was not only the correct decision but it was a moral imperative that it be done. To continue a war which would result in a million of our soldiers deaths when it could be ended quickly by two bombs would be wrong. In war people die and, when it comes down to it, it is preferable that the enemy suffer the most casualties. Though it is true that the peace party, headed by Prince Konoye, had tried many times to meet with FDR and Truman (Since August 1, 1941, the peace party had tried to meet with FDR. On July 18, 1945, Truman noted in his diary that he had received a telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace) I think the military party would have prevented any real peace from taking place. Only by threatening to annihilate the entire Japanese population would all sides realize that war no longer was an option.
