THE DEVASTATION OF NAGASAKI FOLLOWING THE ATOMIC BOMB , ONLY THE RUINS OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL STILL STANDING . THE DEPLOYMENT OF THE ATOMIC BOMBS PROVED THE LEAST AWFUL OF THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE TO THE U . S . IN ENDING THE WAR .
THE PLANNED INVASION OF JAPAN - DUBBED OPERATION DOWNFALL - CONSERVATIVELY ESTIMATED U . S . CASUALTIES IN THE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS - AND JAPANESE CASUALTIES INTO THE MILLIONS .
ANOTHER STRATEGY FAVORED BY SOME IN THE NAVY CALLED
FOR A PROLONGED BLOCKADE AND BOMBING CAMPAIGN . WHILE SPARING AMERICAN CASUALTIES , THE STRATEGY WOULD HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY LED TO WIDESPREAD FAMINE AMONG THE JAPANESE PEOPLE .
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