Political Crossfire Forums

[Beyond The Call of Duty]

If the two atomic bombs didn't end WWII, how do you think the invasion of mainland Japan would've happened?

[David Kelly]

The invation would be bloody and if repulsed would end in Americas suing for peace. In other words if the nukes didn't work nor the invation, we would have lost the war.

[Spider]

The threat of a conventional US invasion was definately on the minds of military planners in japan. Women and children were armed with bamboo pikes, and given fundemental training in their use. Firearms that were available were in pitifully short supply, and those that existed were typically bolt action, often single shot. Despite this the japanese could have brought truly impressive numbers to bear against an invasion.

Surrender would be doubtful, in this situation, since the Japanese were perfectly well aware that if they did manage to repel an allied invasion, the likely outcome would be suing for peace.

Given the casualty figures in the european theatre, and especially in the pacific theatre to date, it was safe to assume that millions would have died, as opposed to the thousands that died when the bombs were dropped.

I shudder to think about that. Japan would have been totally destroyed.

[perdidochas]

Beyond The Call of Duty wrote: If the two atomic bombs didn't end WWII, how do you think the invasion of mainland Japan would've happened?

It would have been bad. If the mainland held out the way some of the Pacific Islands held out, it would have been extremely bloody on all sides. We would have won eventually, but probably not without the help of the Soviets.

[melchizedek22]

The Japanese would have been trapped,we could have slow but sure bombed them back to the stone age,but it would have cost many more lives on both sides and lots of time and money.But by that point we weren't going to lose the war without devine intervention on the side of Japan

[TwinkieDP]

If the A-Bombs failed, Americans would continue their fire bombing raids...

[NAB]

I'm sure everyone here is familar with the invasion plans the US had already implemented. Operation Downfall. What I'm curious about based on the OP's topic, is if the Allies would have continued with this same invasion plan AFTER the use of the bombs? In my opinion, if the firebombing of Tokyo and other cities, plus Hiroshima and Nagasaki didn't achieve surrender, then a land invasion would have been the only solution to end the war.

[melchizedek22]

David Kelly wrote: The invation would be bloody and if repulsed would end in Americas suing for peace. In other words if the nukes didn't work nor the invation, we would have lost the war.

By the time we nuked Japan,they were in a bad way,we couldn't have lost the war at that late date

[DSwain]

I would agree with much of what has been said here, especially from Spider and NAB. The atomic bombs not only saved hundreds of thousands of Allied casualties, but also potentially millions of Japanese soldiers and civilians who would have perished in any campaign on the Home Islands.

As a counterthought, what would have been the impact of a lengthy campaign in Japan on the political and military balance in western Europe? The USSR had already declared war on the Japanese but made short work of the Japanese Manchurian Army; would they have played any part in a seaborne invasion of the Home Islands? Or might the Soviets have seen their efforts as being better returned by turning up the heat in the Cold War in Europe, knowing that the US was focused on Japan?

[Wyatt Earp]

I also wonder that Russia entering the ground war and I guess at the end Japan would of been split up like Germany was, would they have become an econimic power that they have become today?

[eynon]

DSwain wrote: I would agree with much of what has been said here, especially from Spider and NAB. The atomic bombs not only saved hundreds of thousands of Allied casualties, but also potentially millions of Japanese soldiers and civilians who would have perished in any campaign on the Home Islands.

As a counterthought, what would have been the impact of a lengthy campaign in Japan on the political and military balance in western Europe? The USSR had already declared war on the Japanese but made short work of the Japanese Manchurian Army; would they have played any part in a seaborne invasion of the Home Islands? Or might the Soviets have seen their efforts as being better returned by turning up the heat in the Cold War in Europe, knowing that the US was focused on Japan?

more over without a nuclear deterent would the Soviets and Allies gone to war at some later date....during the Berlin Blockade perhaps, or over disputes in East-Asia?

I think that if the bombs had failed at least 200,000 Americans would have died invading Japan, followed by a war against the Soviets some time after that, which would have killed millions.

[Shepherd]

they would eventually work and same thing would happen...

[foadi]

The United States and Japan would have come to their senses and initiated a full scale invasion of Soviet Union, killing every G_ddamn commie in in sight.

[MG1962]

As someone pointed out - the invasion plans were well advanced, sadly so where the defense options of the Japanese

I have seen casualty rates as high as three million combined for the invasion. It is interesting to note that even after the second bomb, the Japanese government was not all that interested in surrendering.

However once the Soviets attacked, the Emperor decided enough was enough.

A curious sidelight was the actual broadcast to the people. For the local population in Japan, the A bombs were blamed. The message broadcast to the troops in the field, Russia's entry into the war was the reason

MG

[Beyond The Call of Duty]

foadi wrote: The United States and Japan would have come to their senses and initiated a full scale invasion of Soviet Union, killing every G*ddamn commie in in sight.

:lol: :lol:

[MG1962]

Quote: foadi wrote:
The United States and Japan would have come to their senses and initiated a full scale invasion of Soviet Union, killing every G*ddamn commie in in sight.

Well that was exactly what our Winston wanted to do

[Quicksurf]

It would have been really messy. More Americans would have died.

Much better having Japanese die than Americans.

[DSwain]

Quicksurf wrote: It would have been really messy. More Americans would have died.

Much better having Japanese die than Americans.

More Americans and more Japanese would have died in an invasion

[David Kelly]

Quicksurf wrote: It would have been really messy. More Americans would have died.

Much better having Japanese die than Americans.

Japan still won. If they and China stopped with the green stuff we'd be done.

[foadi]

David Kelly wrote: Quicksurf wrote: It would have been really messy. More Americans would have died.

Much better having Japanese die than Americans.

Japan still won. If they and China stopped with the green stuff we'd be done.
D00d, what?