I don't usually engage in never-ending debates, but maybe just this once
If the bombs weren't dropped, the Allies would have had only 2 clear courses of action:
1. Keep blockading and firebombing Japan until they surrender, which would have required massive military forces to remain mobilized and ultimately caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, maybe millions, of civilians
2. Implement Operation Downfall, which would also have caused the deaths of millions of civilians, seeing as Japanese civilians have been taught to resist the invaders at all costs, and could very well have failed, leading to some kind of less-than-satisfactory peace agreement
The bombs were not used to terrorize the population, but rather to shock the Japanese government into surrendering, which they did (Although just barely)
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