LogFAQs > #975330124

bIuerain posted...

Japan was already planning to surrender... to the Soviet Union. Truman dropped those bombs to hasten Japanese surrender on terms favorable to America.

That was not going to happen. The Yalta conference and Potsdam conference all but ensured that the Soviets would not have accepted any surrender terms from Japan without first allowing the Americans to establish their terms first. In exchange, the Russians were giving recognition of the Mongolian breakaway lands, rail access through the regions currently occupied by Japan (mostly places in Manchuria), and a handful of ports and islands they really wanted on the Pacific coast. The Soviets declared war on Japan at the request of the American Government, and took land that the Americans offered them for their assistance. This myth that the US dropped the bombs so they could rush ahead and end the war for fear of the Soviets taking land is a total myth. The entire thing was agreed upon months in advance. Stalin was there because he promised to invade Japan at the Yalta conference, then affirmed that promise at Potsdam. There was no "fear of a better deal", because they hammered out what the "deal" was going to be months in advance.

Furthermore, it's reported that at the Potsdam conference, Stalin was informed of the atomic bombs, and was told of their intention to use it on Japan sometime during the summer. There's even strong evidence to suggest that Stalin was provided photographs of the trinity test as proof. They didn't need to demonstrate to the Soviets that the atomic bombs were a thing. Stalin knew, at a minumum, a full month before everyone else that the bombs existed.

The sheer amount of misinformation and myths surrounding the surrender of Japan and atomic bombings is honestly quite astounding, considering just how well documented all this stuff is. Like, we have in writing the Soviets agreeing to invade Japan on behalf of the Americans and all the little port towns and railways that were promised to them should they attack. Why would America request their help, offer them a bunch of concessions for their involvement, then immiedetely panic and speed run surrender for "fear of them getting better terms from the Soviets!".

That's nonsensical. It flies in the face of every piece of documented information we have regarding the Yalta and Potsdam agreements.