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[sarisataka]

12. One can argue

forever about "what if"...

Would Japan have surrendered? Thay had requested an armistice but unconditional surrender was unlikely without an invasion.

If invaded would Japan simply have collapsed? Also unlikely. Japan was preparing for a major assault. US casualty estimates very from tens of thousands to millions. Noteworthy is that US planners underestimated Japanese forces which were 300% greater than thought. Japan's defensive plan expected an invasion force twice what was actually in the initial assault.

Maybe Operation Downfall would not have been the bloodiest campaign in history but maybe it would.

US preparations included making 500,000 Purple Hearts for expected casualties. We have not yet exhausted that supply even through Korea and Viet Nam. Those medals are being given to wounded troops today and there are still over 100,000 in stock.