Likewise, Raedwulf. :-) Nice summation there, robomatic. I find little to disagree with in it. It's interesting that the American Air Force left certain Japanese cities unbombed so that they would have an undamaged test site for the A-bomb. Hmmm.

Give boys expensive toys, and they will play with them.

The USA had the capability in 1945 to destroy any Japanese metropolitan centre, with or without the A-bomb. It must be quite something to have such godlike powers at one's command. Quite a temptation, I would think. It's not surprising that they went ahead with it, whichever way you look at it.

What is surprising is that no one has done it since. I'd practically call that a miracle.