You also have to remember that there was no internet or modern communications in those days. If the Japanese were ready to surrender, they certainly did not indicate so at that time. Eisenhower was the commander in Europe not in the Pacific where MacArthur was running the show. Truman had a very tough decision to make. As Vice President, he knew nothing about the secret atomic bomb. When Roosevelt died, and Truman was suddenly thrust into office, he had to be briefed and was forced to make a decision based upon the little information that he had. Until the bomb was actually used, I do not think that anyone actually realized the tremendous destructive power that it had. Based upon what we know today, you may want to consider Harry Truman a war criminal. But based on the limited knowlege we had then, (and I lived through those times), I feel he made the correct decision. SOL ZELLER