"You always go for the killing effect 'T'. To you it's always the best way." - Barry Finn.

Not at all Barry, quite the opposite as a rule. Only difference is that if attacked I will fight back. I will stand by what I said before regarding the decision and necessity to drop the two Atomic weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki:

"The decision made by the President of the United States at the time was the correct one, it saved the lives of his own countrymen, his primary responsibility. What your opinion of that decision is now after 62 years is irrelevant."

After those bombs were dropped and the Japanese did surrender unconditionally as required, a poll taken amongst the 650,000 predominantly American servicemen who had been earmarked for the invasion of mainland Japan I believe would have been greatly in favour of President Trumans actions.

Ready to sign were they Barry

The Potsdam Declaration or the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender was a statement issued on July 26, 1945 by Harry S. Truman, Winston Churchill, and Chiang Kai-Shek which outlined the terms of surrender for Japan as agreed upon at the Potsdam Conference. The agreement stated that if Japan did not surrender, it would face "prompt and utter destruction".

Potsdam Declaration:

The proclamation stated that the full force of the United States, the British Empire, and National Government of the Republic of China would strike the final blows upon Japan.

They warned that "The might that now converges on Japan is immeasurably greater than that which, when applied to the resisting Nazis, necessarily laid waste to the lands, the industry and the method of life of the whole German people" and this power of the Allies would lead to "the inevitable and complete destruction of the Japanese armed forces and just as inevitably the utter devastation of the Japanese homeland" unless Japan ended the war. Also that:

- Militarism in Japan must end.
- Japan would be occupied until the basic objectives set out in this proclamation were met.
- The terms of the Cairo Declaration would be carried out and Japanese sovereignty would be limited to the islands of Honshu, Hokkaido, Kyushu, Shikoku, and such minor islands as the Allies determined.
- The Japanese army would be completely disarmed and allowed to return home.
- Those who had led Japan to war must be permanently and finally discredited, and abandoned.
- War criminals would be punished including those who had "visited cruelties upon our prisoners".
- Freedom of speech, of religion, and of thought, as well as respect for the fundamental human rights shall be established.
- Japan should be permitted to maintain a viable industrial economy but not industries which would enable her to re-arm for war.
- The treaty was not intended to enslave the Japanese as a race or as a nation.
- Allied forces would be withdrawn from Japan as soon as these objectives have been accomplished

"We call upon the government of Japan to proclaim now the unconditional surrender of all Japanese armed forces, and to provide proper and adequate assurances of their good faith in such action. The alternative for Japan is prompt and utter destruction."

Now that is what the Japanese, who Barry says were ready to sign, rejected out of hand on 26th July, 1945. The time then runs as follows:

6th August, 1945 - Attack on Hiroshima
9th August, 1945 - Attack on Nagasaki
15th August,1945 - Japan Surrenders unconditionally
2nd September, 1945 - World War 2 Officially ends with the signing of the Peace Agreements.