curious as if the Joint Chiefs knew about the bomb? *asking* I do not know.http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/2010/atomicdec.htm
- The Joint Chiefs of Staff never formally studied the decision and never made an official recommendation to the President. Brief informal discussions may have occurred, but no record even of these exists. There is no record whatsoever of the usual extensive staff work and evaluation of alternative options by the Joint Chiefs, nor did the Chiefs ever claim to be involved. (See p. 322, Chapter 26)
From most of the sources I've read ( thanks to all) it's clear the bomb wasn't a military necessity to end the war.
I do question how quickly Russia would have declared war on Japan. Once again events seem to drive other events.
Events drove the bombing - simply having the bomb and not using it to end the war is illogical as well.
I tend to think of it all as a continuum - what was jut as important and ending the war was reforming Japan ;
and there McArthur has to get a lot of credit .