Those who believe the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki did not cause the Japanese surrender often cite a postwar strategic bombing survey that suggests the Japanese would have surrendered by Nov. 1 due to the combination of bombings and blockade.
Let's not discuss the bombings for the upteenth time and instead ponder what might happen on the Asian mainland during those three-odd months.
The Soviets had already occupied all of Manchuria (see here), but the attached map indicates they're not actually in Korea yet. Would they focus on fighting the Japanese in northern China proper, move into the Korean peninsula fighting the Japanese all the way down to the coast, or given their mobility and manpower, BOTH?
Meanwhile, the British had "Operation Zipper," a plan to land in Malaya and reclaim Singapore. The Wikipedia article is rather bony, but this article goes into detail about what might have happened. It could have been very nasty. The comments reference a possible extermination of the city of Singapore and a possible invasion of Java.
And I've referenced in the past that there was a planned Thai uprising against the Japanese in conjunction with an Allied invasion of that country from Burma. This article doesn't have much to say, but there is something.
So assuming the Japanese hold out until November or even September or October (due to the defeats they'll no doubt suffer in these situations), what might happen on the Asian mainland?
Let's not discuss the bombings for the upteenth time and instead ponder what might happen on the Asian mainland during those three-odd months.
The Soviets had already occupied all of Manchuria (see here), but the attached map indicates they're not actually in Korea yet. Would they focus on fighting the Japanese in northern China proper, move into the Korean peninsula fighting the Japanese all the way down to the coast, or given their mobility and manpower, BOTH?
Meanwhile, the British had "Operation Zipper," a plan to land in Malaya and reclaim Singapore. The Wikipedia article is rather bony, but this article goes into detail about what might have happened. It could have been very nasty. The comments reference a possible extermination of the city of Singapore and a possible invasion of Java.
And I've referenced in the past that there was a planned Thai uprising against the Japanese in conjunction with an Allied invasion of that country from Burma. This article doesn't have much to say, but there is something.
So assuming the Japanese hold out until November or even September or October (due to the defeats they'll no doubt suffer in these situations), what might happen on the Asian mainland?