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I'm not criticizing the choice to drop the nukes, I'm disputing the opinion that the nukes were necessary/helpful to "save lives" (WITH the benefit of hindsight).

I can see how that belief is appealing, but from what I know the facts do not really support it and the truth is more inconvenient.

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Can you lay out your opinion and arguments?

«Nuclear bombing was used not to end the war and save lives, but for ... because ...»

Nuclear bombing was not necessary to win the war, nor to effect a surrender of Japan by the end of 1945 (without a costly ground invasion).

Of course this is clearer in retrospect.

So, nuclear bombing was used to end the war and save lives, but these lives were unnecessary. :-/

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