Subject: Re: The TACOrettes keep coming
We all heard that "no country ever surrendered due to bombing alone" argument, but Japan surrendered, without the US setting foot in any of the home islands.

Steve, the Japanese were facing the Russians coming down, and would across soon. There were choices on who they would surrender to - the Russian, or to us? They knew the Emperor would not be accepted by the Russians, and it would be better overall to surrender to us. Some of the hard liners wanted to fight. They chose to surrender to us and a big influence was to avoid the negative impacts of the Russians.