終戰之謎：日本投降的最後72小時（完整還原）

In August 1945, an atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan.

To this day , this remains the only time in human history that a nuclear weapon was used against a civilian target.

Over 200,000 people were killed directly by the attack.

Five days after the bombing, Japan surrendered, and its territory was subsequently occupied by the Allies.

Many people continue to believe that the atomic bombs were the sole reason for Japan's surrender.

Is this true?

Are there other factors that have been overlooked?

Why did then-US President Harry S. Truman

firmly believe that only such a devastating weapon could bring Japan to its knees ? How much of a stir did

? How much of a stir did the Soviet Union's formal entry into the war cause in Japan's highest political circles ? If the atomic bombs had not forced Japan's surrender,

? If the atomic bombs had not forced Japan's surrender, what was the original US plan for the conquest of the Japanese mainland ?

How many ordinary Japanese civilians were prepared to die defending their country ? Why did Japan hesitate to surrender

? Why did Japan hesitate to surrender ? What kind of military coup

? What kind of military coup could have so easily seized the Imperial Palace on the very day the Emperor announced his surrender, nearly destroying the Emperor's peace plan?

To explore the truth behind Japan's surrender, this three-part program will explore different perspectives and recreate this historical moment as clearly as possible.

This episode will be quite long.

In the first part, we'll examine Japan's imperial ambitions and their invasions of East Asia and the Pacific.

In a remarkably short period, they created one of the largest empires in history , ruling over 20% of the world's population at the time.

How did they achieve this?

What ideology drove this?

The "Bushido" spirit shaped the nation into a radical and frenzied militarism. Brainwashing

militarism. Brainwashing the young generation into a willingness to sacrifice everything , fearless of life and death, refusing to surrender, with shouts of "Banzai" and absolute loyalty to the Emperor, how did this ideology ultimately lead Japan to utter destruction?

In Part 2, we turn our attention to the United States.

The Pacific War had been raging for three years , consuming enormous manpower and material resources.

The American fleet and naval power had gradually pressed forward to Japan's doorstep.

The key question was how to end the war in the face of such a refusing to surrender enemy . Some advocated continuing

. Some advocated continuing the large-scale bombing of Japan with incendiary bombs , others proposed "Operation Downfall," intending to conquer the Japanese mainland.

Still others turned their attention to a brand-new scientific research technology.

Scientists were developing a world-changing device called the "Manhattan Project," ushering in a new era of nuclear weapons .

In Part 3, we need to turn to the Japanese perspective . We will use internal meetings and later public documents

. We will use internal meetings and later public documents to examine what Japanese leaders said and did in the final months of the war.

Why did the Japanese refuse to surrender ? What were their original intentions?

? What were their original intentions?

And how did they react to the Soviet Union's entry into the war and the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?

Finally, we will trace the steps of Emperor Hirohito and that unprecedented intervention . He personally ordered

. He personally ordered the government to accept the Allied surrender terms. Why did he do this?

Is the emperor soft-hearted?

I think not.

The decision to stop the war was purely political.

If the war continued, the country would most likely be destroyed.

However, the fanatical soldiers rejected any peaceful solution, even if it meant pushing the country into the abyss.

So, please follow me to learn about this period of history and see how the deadliest war in human history ended. After the Pearl Harbor incident in 1941,

ended. After the Pearl Harbor incident in 1941, Japan seemed unstoppable.

In less than a year, they won victory after victory in the Pacific battlefield and encountered almost no substantial resistance.

The European powers at that time were busy fighting Hitler and had no time to care about the war situation in East Asia.

At that time, Japan controlled the Korean Peninsula, Northeast China , and a large area of ​​northern China , including Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar , Singapore, Malaysia, and the Philippines.

Controlling British Borneo and the Dutch East Indies, Japan expanded southward to New Guinea and the Solomon Islands, and establishing bases in the Mariana, Marshall, Caroline, and Gilbert Islands to the north . These islands

. These islands were also the key to Japan's "defense circle" strategy.

They called it the "absolute defense circle."

This was a longitudinal defense line extending from New Guinea all the way to the Kuril Islands north of the Japanese mainland.

Within the area surrounded by this defense line, Japan called it the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere."

This "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere" not only ensured that the Japanese could continuously transport strategic resources such as oil, tin, and rubber from the conquered areas back to their homeland , but also avoided interference from Western powers . However, the Japanese did not only seek resources;

. However, the Japanese did not only seek resources; they also committed the most horrific and cruel crimes in human war history . The most well-documented of these

. The most well-documented of these is the terrifying Nanjing Massacre in 1937. After further invading China,

in 1937. After further invading China, the Japanese army captured Shanghai in November and then marched westward all the way to Nanjing.

After capturing Nanjing on December 13, the Japanese army immediately burned the city, massacred and ravaged it . Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were raped and slaughtered.

. Hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians were raped and slaughtered.

This atrocity lasted for more than six weeks.

After the end of World War II, the investigation and judgment of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East and the Nanjing Military Tribunal believed that more than 200,000 to 300,000 Chinese civilians and prisoners of war were killed by the Japanese army in this massacre. Among them, about 20,000 Chinese women were raped and killed by the Japanese army in the first month.

One-third of the buildings in Nanjing were burned down by the Japanese army . These atrocities were not limited to Nanjing

. These atrocities were not limited to Nanjing , but spread to the entire Southeast Asian battlefield.

By 1945 , tens of millions of people had died under the iron hoof of the Japanese army.

In 1947, the Nationalist government announced that the total casualties of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression were 12.78 million.

In 1995, the government of the People's Republic of China It is confirmed that more than 35 million Chinese soldiers and civilians were killed or wounded in the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression , and more than 8 million Japanese casualties were caused in Burma, French Indochina, the Dutch East Indies, and the Philippines.

The dream of empire allowed the Japanese to invade and expand unscrupulously.

As their ambitions continued to grow, a transcontinental war was about to break out.

For Japan, the attack on Pearl Harbor was only a temporary victory , but it also thoroughly awakened the industrial power of the United States . Before the outbreak of the war,

. Before the outbreak of the war, the United States was already the world's leader in manufacturing.

They were able to quickly and massively produce automobiles and household appliances.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, this production capacity transformed rapidly . President Roosevelt believed that

. President Roosevelt believed that American industry was the key to winning the war . It was not enough

. It was not enough to just build a few more planes, a few more tanks , a few more artillery pieces, and a few warships.

To win, it was necessary to overwhelmingly surpass "the enemy on any battlefield in the world" "will not have the slightest doubt about our equipment advantage.

" Against this historical background, batches of "Liberty Ship" transport ships, aircraft carriers, Wildcat fighters, and B29 bombers were produced on a large scale.

Take the Liberty Ship transports as an example.

The first batch of ships in 1941 took about 230 days to build.

By 1943 , the average production time for each ship was only 39 days.

This production speed was ahead of any other country in the world at the time, especially Japan.

In 1941 alone, the number of ships built by the United States exceeded the total number of ships built by Japan during the entire war.

By the end of the war, the United States had produced 17 new aircraft carriers, nearly 300,000 aircraft and more than 80,000 tanks.

It can be said that for a certain period of time, more than half of the world's industrial production capacity was concentrated in the United States.

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States began to launch a series of devastating attacks on Japan throughout the Pacific battlefield.

The Japanese army was first forced to retreat in the Battle of Guadalcanal.

After the US military gained a foothold on Guadalcanal, it immediately launched a further offensive.

Soon, Japan was caught in a situation where it was attacked from both sides . Douglas General MacArthur

. Douglas General MacArthur advanced through New Guinea and the Philippines.

At the same time, Admiral Chester Nimitz launched an island-hopping campaign in the central Pacific.

The once-mighty Japanese Navy was ultimately decimated in several decisive naval battles , including Midway, the Philippine Sea, and Leyte Gulf.

Japan lost thousands of ships, including almost all of its cruisers, aircraft carriers, and battleships.

With the Japanese Navy completely crippled, control of the Pacific seas fell into American hands . Vital supplies of oil, tin, and rubber

. Vital supplies of oil, tin, and rubber were cut off.

Without these resources, Japan had almost no natural reserves, and they lost the ability to continue fighting.

Why do I say that?

Without oil , there is no way to power planes, warships, or tanks.

Without rubber, there is no way to make tires, certain aircraft parts , or even soldiers' shoes.

These are all easy to understand , but what is the use of tin?

Tin was extremely useful in warfare.

It could be used to weld electronic and mechanical parts.

Tin-plated steel sheets could prevent rust and could be used to make cans, ammunition boxes , and even the outer structure of submarines.

Without tin, it would be impossible to produce ammunition bags, boxes, cans , and other supplies needed to sustain the war.

In 1945, Okinawa was occupied by the US military.

The last line of defense for the Japanese mainland collapsed.

The US Pacific Fleet fought this battle and was able to approach the Japanese mainland.

The war in the Pacific theater seemed to be coming to an end, but these battles left a lot of psychological trauma on the American soldiers.

Battle by battle, island by island, the Americans encountered almost crazy resistance from the Japanese army again and again.

They faced a nation that would rather be completely destroyed than endure the shame of surrender . This concept can be traced back to the samurai era.

. This concept can be traced back to the samurai era.

The Bushido spirit is a kind of implicit spiritual culture that has profoundly influenced Japanese society to this day. Bushido requires samurai to be absolutely loyal to their lord, even at the cost of personal sacrifice.

Violation of the Bushido is regarded as an unforgivable shame.

Violation of the conscience is secondary.

The most important thing is not to be humiliated.

Honor is more important than life.

Losing honor is equivalent to losing the value of existence.

Therefore, on the battlefield, samurai are expected to fight with loyalty and honor.

Even under absolute disadvantages, they must show courage.

All cowardice and weakness will be despised.

Dying in battle is glorious for the whole family, while surrender is extremely shameful.

Violating the Bushido not only affects the samurai himself, but also involves his lord, clan and entire family.

In order to wash away this shame, what should be done?

Samurai can restore their honor by committing suicide by seppuku.

We often see seppuku in movies and TV shows, but some works do not show it so rigorously.

Seppuku requires a certain ritual.

The person who commits seppuku should wear formal clothes and hold a short sword in front of him.

A special cloth can be used to pad the bottom of the sword. The person who commits seppuku and the kaishakunin beside him are ready. After that,

they lift up their kimono and stab themselves in the abdomen with the short sword.

The first cut is from left to right.

The second cut is slightly upward to let the intestines flow out.

Then the kaishakunin next to them raises the sword and cuts the head with it.

The swordsmanship is very important . A skilled swordsman can do it with one stroke . A poor swordsman like me

one stroke . A poor swordsman like me may have to cut the abdomen with several cuts. This seppuku method is called "Ichimonji-kiri" . There are even more brutal

. There are even more brutal "Jumonji-giri" and "Sanmonji-giri", which correspond to cutting in the shape of a cross and three cuts respectively.

It should be noted that seppuku can not only wash away shame, but also be the only choice for the defeated to face death with courage and dignity.

Although the era of the samurai came to an end after the shogunate movement in the 1870s , the spirit of Bushido still survived and was exploited by militarism .

It became popular during World War II and became one of the important cores of Japan's national ideology.

The loyalty and obligation emphasized by "Bushido" were used and extended to the entire country.

This related ideology was later called "State Shinto".

Shinto is Japan's native traditional religion.

State Shinto first appeared in the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century.

According to the Meiji Constitution, the Japanese people Yes, people enjoy freedom of belief, but in practice, freedom of belief is limited to the scope that does not conflict with State Shinto.

So what conflicts with State Shinto?

This is not the key point. The key point is that the people of the Meiji Restoration

point. The key point is that the people of the Meiji Restoration used traditional Shinto beliefs to endorse their own rule.

According to the teachings of State Shinto: The emperor is not a human, the emperor is a god.

The bloodline of the Japanese emperor is derived from Amaterasu Omikami and must be worshipped and respected by all citizens.

Every Japanese subject must be absolutely loyal to the emperor.

Since the emperor is already a god , the government is naturally given supreme ruling authority.

In the early 20th century, Japanese nationalists went a step further and used the belief in "State Shinto" to justify military expansion.

A key figure appeared in this development process.

This person was called Uesugi. Shinkichi

Uesugi advocated for a powerful centralized government centered around a "holy emperor," believing the emperor to be above all human beings and to be superior to all secular things.

This extreme right-winger believed that Japan, as the "manifestation of divine will," had the obligation to export its superior culture and civilization to various regions of Asia.

Uesugi's Shinto thought gradually transformed into a popular ideology , even justifying terrorist acts in the "name of the state" and eliminating at all costs anyone who "polluted the national system."

He defined the Japanese state as the highest morality, with the emperor, as the incarnation of God, at its core, representing not only Japan but all of humanity.

He rejected Westernization and opposed constitutional monarchy , instead advocating for a totalitarianism with Japanese characteristics.

The most crucial thing is that the works of this madman were included in the military academy curriculum, profoundly influencing batches of grassroots officers. These people

brought about even larger-scale killings after going to the battlefield.

The education in the military academy gradually shifted from actual military training to brainwashing, with the emperor as the center , requiring individuals to obey completely . It was not enough to bow down five times, but

. It was not enough to bow down five times, but to bow down ten times.

A madman led a group of madmen .

They firmly believed that only by actively expanding territory could they build the collective goal of "Japan's global order."

This ambition had only two results: either complete victory or complete destruction . All supporters were overly optimistic about victory ,

. All supporters were overly optimistic about victory , but had a perfect shield against the perception of destruction.

This set of crazy ideas was deeply rooted in the Japanese military elite and reached full maturity during the reign of Emperor Showa (who ascended the throne in 1926), and blossomed and bore fruit in the second half of the 20th century. When the war broke out, these extreme ideas had already penetrated into every aspect of Japanese society.

Every soldier was required to devote himself to the emperor and the country at any time.

There was not even the concept of "surrender" in the Japanese army .

In the Pacific battlefield, they often chose to launch suicidal charges.

Even if they had only bayonets and spears in their hands, they dared to attack the American defenses.

Generals, like the samurai in the past, were required to commit suicide by seppuku to preserve their honor in the face of failure.

This refusal to surrender led to many islands in the Pacific becoming massacre battlefields.

The death toll was tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands.

They often hid in underground bunkers and caves for months on end and would not come out.

Even if they died, they would exchange their lives for others'.

For example, in the Battle of Iwo Jima, only 216 Japanese soldiers were captured out of 21,000.

Most Japanese soldiers were killed directly in battle or even died. Civilians were also included in the code of Bushido.

They were required to uphold their honor by committing suicide and were not allowed to survive under American occupation.

In the Battle of Saipan, more than 8,000 civilians chose to commit suicide by jumping off cliffs, exploding grenades, or jumping into the sea.

Some hesitant ones were even forcibly shot by the Japanese army to ensure that they "would not be ashamed to survive."

The combination of Bushido spirit and extreme nationalism created a mentality: not only did it allow atrocities , but it was even encouraged in some cases . However, despite the Japanese's enthusiasm,

. However, despite the Japanese's enthusiasm, their imperial dream did not come true.

As the war situation reversed, they were driven out of the Pacific and Southeast Asia and gradually retreated to the Japanese mainland.

But even so, the vast majority of Americans were unwilling to start a war against the Japanese mainland.

Why?

Because the example of the Pacific War was too vivid.

It is conceivable that once the tanks were pushed forward The battle of Japan would undoubtedly be the bloodiest and most expensive in the entire war.

With this in mind, American decision-makers decided to save their own lives first and began to look for other alternatives to force Japan's surrender and end the war . The solution they finally developed

. The solution they finally developed was to launch large-scale air raids on Japanese cities.

Initially, the United States pursued a policy of "precision bombing", requiring pilots to only attack military facilities or key infrastructure to minimize civilian casualties . However, after implementation, it was found that this method was extremely inefficient.

. However, after implementation, it was found that this method was extremely inefficient.

High-altitude bombing was too inaccurate at the time.

If there was a strong wind, the bombs would often deviate and hit civilian areas.

Therefore, starting in 1945, the United States completely abandoned high-altitude precision bombing and instead flew low at night, dropping large numbers of incendiary bombs for strategic bombing to dominate the war. The man who served was General Curtis LeMay.

Japanese houses were mostly made of wood and therefore highly flammable.

LeMay ordered the large-scale use of a new incendiary agent called napalm.

On March 9, 1945, 300 B-29 bombers took off from Guam and Saipan carrying 500,000 incendiary bombs to attack Tokyo.

The bombs could penetrate relatively thin roofs and scatter on the ground, spewing flames.

As a result, the entire city was quickly engulfed in flames . The flames soared into the air

. The flames soared into the air like a hurricane, reaching thousands of feet in the air, and all the lakes and rivers boiled.

The pilots in the air could feel the heat wave.

By the next morning, 250,000 houses were reduced to ashes, more than 1 million people were homeless, and the death toll exceeded 100,000.

It was arguably the deadliest air raid of the entire war.

In the following months, Nagoya, Shinagawa, and other cities were destroyed. Major cities like Toyotomi, Osaka, Yokohama, and Kawasaki were burned down, with more than half of them dead and over 261,300 people displaced.

To make more room for incendiary bombs, the US military even removed the defensive machine guns from its bombers.

However, even though the major cities were burned to a crisp, the navy and air force were completely damaged, most factories were shut down, and strategic supplies were blocked by US submarines.

The Japanese government still refused to surrender, and any voice for peace talks was suppressed.

In 1945 alone , more than 400 people were arrested for "leaning towards negotiation."

This continued until the summer of 1945, when the US realized that bombing alone was not enough to force Japan to surrender . Therefore, it began to plan

. Therefore, it began to plan a landing plan targeting the Japanese mainland.

This plan was code-named "Operation Downfall."

The first phase was scheduled to be implemented in October 1945 with the goal of occupying The plan was to deploy 700,000 troops to southern Kyushu, using southern Kyushu and the already occupied Okinawa as the main bases for the next offensive.

The second phase was scheduled to be launched in March 1946, with an expected deployment of 1.17 million troops, targeting Honshu and Tokyo.

If this battle actually broke out, it would surpass the Normandy Landing as the largest amphibious operation in history.

Allied casualties were estimated to be in the hundreds of thousands or even over a million , while Japanese casualties would be in the millions.

In comparison, Japan's defense plan was even more crazy.

Although there was no hope of winning the war , Japanese leaders believed that they could make the cost of occupying the Japanese mainland so high that the Allies could not accept it.

It would be better for the two sides to reach some form of armistice rather than complete defeat.

Their plan was called "Operation Decision", and people later summarized it as It can be summarized as "One Hundred Million Sufferings" because the total number of Japanese citizens at that time was about 100 million .

There is an old Chinese saying that goes "It is better to die with honor than to live in disgrace."

This "One Hundred Million Sufferings" means that all Japanese citizens must fight to the death and never surrender.

In the end, the Japanese Army mobilized 2.25 million troops and the Japanese Navy mobilized 1.3 million troops. All

men aged 15-60 and women aged 17-45 were conscripted. Approximately 28 million civilians who met the requirements

were conscripted. Approximately 28 million civilians who met the requirements were to be armed.

Even if they only had bamboo spears and wooden sticks, they were required to fight to the last moment.

Even children were arranged to be "suicide bombers."

In addition, the Japanese army prepared more than 10,000 aircraft for kamikaze special attack teams to carry out suicide attacks.

They hoped to sink half of the fleet before the US military landed.

In the eyes of both sides, this war was tantamount to a disaster.

The fighting would continue for several years.

The casualties would reach millions. Just

as both sides were about to launch their war plans, a new option presented itself.

The US President received word that the top-secret Manhattan Project had made substantial progress . They had mobilized 130,000 men,

. They had mobilized 130,000 men, spent $2 billion, and spent nearly three years to develop the world's first nuclear weapon.

On the morning of July 1945, the "green light" for a nuclear test was officially lit, releasing an energy equivalent to 24,000 tons of TNT.

The sky was suddenly engulfed in a massive fireball that rose eight miles into the sky.

At the same time, a blinding light blazed in all directions , illuminating the surrounding mountains like daylight.

Physicist Oppenheimer watched with a mixture of awe and horror.

He later recalled that a Sanskrit verse came to mind: "Now I am the destroyer of worlds of death."

Oppenheimer said, "I think we all realized then" that "somehow" "America and the world had entered the atomic age."

However, questions remained: How should the atomic bomb be used?

Was its use ethical?

Should it be used only against purely military targets?

Or should civilian areas be taken into account?

These questions were not for the scientists and engineers who built the bombs to answer.

The decision rested with the politicians in Washington, especially the new Supreme Commander of the United States, Harry Truman.

On July 26, 1945, at the Imperial Palace in Potsdam, Germany, dignitaries from the Allied powers gathered together.

For the cameras of the international media, US President Harry Truman, Soviet Supreme Leader Joseph Stalin , and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill sat side by side.

The Potsdam Conference was the last meeting of the Allies, mainly to discuss Germany's post-war blueprint and, more importantly, how to completely end the war with Japan.

It was during this meeting that Truman received the most important message of his entire presidency : Oppenheimer's The atomic test was a success.

Now that the United States had such powerful weapons in its hands, Truman saw a clearer and more direct way to force Japan to surrender completely without deploying large-scale military forces . So,

with the participation and assistance of his allies, British Prime Minister Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek, Chairman of the National Government of the Republic of China, Truman drafted an ultimatum .

It is worth noting that Soviet leader Stalin was not included in this declaration because the Soviet Union had not yet declared war on Japan.

This document is called the "Potsdam Declaration" , which lists the conditions for Japan's surrender.

The main contents can be summarized as follows: First, the beginning reviews the victory over Germany and the joint efforts of the United States, Britain, and China .

The determination to defeat Japan. Second, the long-term goal is to establish a peaceful system in the world and avoid the re-establishment of militarism in the future.

To this end, the current Japanese government must cease to function.

Third, Japan's sovereignty must be limited to Honshu Hokkaido Kyushu Shikoku and other small islands determined by the three governments.

Fourth, the Japanese military must be completely disarmed.

Fifth, the Allies do not intend to enslave the Japanese people or colonize the Japanese mainland , but those who started the war must face international justice.

The new Japanese government must be democratic and maintain freedom of speech, thought, and religion.

Human rights must be respected.

Sixth, Japan's civilian industry can be retained, but military industry that can build up aggressive forces must be banned.

Seventh , after these conditions are met, the occupation forces will be withdrawn.

Eighth, we call on the Japanese government to order its army to surrender unconditionally.

Please note that this is a call for their government to order their army to surrender.

What will happen to Japan if it does not surrender?

Then you can only be quickly and completely destroyed.

This declaration was issued on July 26, 1945.

There was no response from Japan on the first day.

There was no response on the second and third days.

The Allies never received any news . Is this to carry forward

. Is this to carry forward the spirit of "a dead pig is not afraid of boiling water"?

No, on July 28, the Japanese authorities held a meeting.

The then Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki held a cabinet meeting .

Under pressure from the military, Prime Minister Suzuki issued a statement on the Potsdam Declaration.

For the Allies, Japan 's silence was a complete rejection of the Potsdam Declaration.

Under these circumstances, the United States began to consider using the atomic bomb.

Dropping the bomb would have inevitably killed tens or even hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians, both in the explosion itself and in the aftermath of the nuclear fallout.

However, for American policymakers, led by President Truman, there were several reasons why they considered the atomic bomb the best option: First, it could end the war quickly .

The US-Japan War had been nearly four years old . Germany had been defeated, and the war in Europe was over.

. Germany had been defeated, and the war in Europe was over.

People worried that if the war continued in the East , public support in the United States was low.

Truman believed that such a destructive weapon as the atomic bomb could force Japan to surrender.

Second, it could save American lives and avoid unnecessary casualties.

The aforementioned US invasion plan for Japan, based on previous battles, predicted that this plan would result in hundreds of thousands of US casualties and tens of millions of Japanese civilian deaths . With nuclear weapons, casualties would be greatly reduced.

. With nuclear weapons, casualties would be greatly reduced.

Third, it could prevent Soviet expansion . Another consideration for using nuclear weapons

. Another consideration for using nuclear weapons was the increasingly tense relationship between the United States and the Soviet Union . During this period,

. During this period, the Soviet Union remained neutral in the war against Japan, but its influence had expanded to nearly half of Europe . The Baltic Sea extended into the Adriatic Sea

. The Baltic Sea extended into the Adriatic Sea , a truly devastating threat.

Western society was increasingly threatened by the Soviet Union, so Truman believed the Soviet Union could not be allowed to expand in Asia . Using atomic bombs to quickly end the war

. Using atomic bombs to quickly end the war would prevent a Soviet invasion of East Asia , and the United States would control post-war regional distribution.

Fourth, it could demonstrate strength.

Using atomic bombs also had a secondary effect : it showed the world, especially the Soviet Union, that the United States possessed weapons of mass destruction.

This served as a warning to Stalin and also ensured the United States ' leadership in the new post-war order . These reasons

. These reasons ultimately convinced Truman to use atomic bombs against Japan , and he sought the approval of Stalin and Churchill.

Next, they had to list the targets.

It would be difficult to subdue the Japanese all at once, but at least they could minimize their will to continue the war.

So which city should be the primary target?

The Americans' initial plan was to choose cities that had not been subjected to large-scale air raids.

This would allow them to more fully demonstrate the power of the atomic bomb.

Secondly, the city should be between Tokyo and Nagasaki and have high strategic value.

After much deliberation, they chose Hiroshima as the first target.

After confirming the target, an atomic bomb nicknamed "Little Boy" was transported to Tinian Island in the Northern Mariana Islands.

At 1:45 a.m. on August 6, 1945, a B-29 Superfortress bomber , carrying the bomb, slowly took off.

After more than six hours of flight, it arrived over Hiroshima.

Around 8:15 a.m. that morning,

the bomb bay door opened, and the "Little Boy" ("Little Boy") descended from the hatch, flying toward the city.

Forty-four seconds later, the world's first atomic bomb dropped on a civilian area was successfully detonated.

In the blink of an eye, a huge white light erupted from the center of Hiroshima , followed by a fireball with a temperature said to be higher than the surface of the sun , instantly incinerating everything around it . Then, an unimaginable shock wave

. Then, an unimaginable shock wave destroyed buildings and roads within a radius of several kilometers.

Radioactive dust quickly spread, and a mushroom cloud towered over the city.

In just a few seconds, more than half of Hiroshima was razed to the ground, and approximately 80,000 civilians died.

In the following days, Many more would die within weeks, even years, as severe burns and the harmful effects of radiation began to set in.

After the bombing, Truman issued a radio message warning the world and Japan directly . At the same time, broadcasts were sent to Japan every 15 minutes

. At the same time, broadcasts were sent to Japan every 15 minutes warning that if they did not surrender immediately, more cities would be targeted and urging Japanese civilians to evacuate all major cities to avoid the same fate as Hiroshima.

Three days later, despite the massive destruction and casualties , Japan still showed no sign of surrendering.

So, on August 9th, another B-29 bomber took off from Tinian Island, this time carrying an atomic bomb called Fat Man, which was said to be 40% more powerful than the one that destroyed Hiroshima . The original target was Kokura,

destroyed Hiroshima . The original target was Kokura, a city on Kyushu Island in Japan with a population of 130,000 and one of the most powerful cities in Japan. The arsenal

was about to be reached by the US B-29s.

They discovered that the area was shrouded in smoke and visibility was very low.

Why was visibility low?

Because just the day before, more than 200 B-29s had carried out a large-scale bombing of the nearby city of Yawata .

The smoke from the incendiary bombs was carried by the wind to the sky above Kokura .

In order to drop the nuclear bomb, the US military made three bombing route attempts , but each time the visibility was too poor to accurately drop the bomb. Moreover,

the bomb. Moreover, the risk of being shot down by the Japanese air defense increased with each attempt . Finally, people decided to abandon Kokura

each attempt . Finally, people decided to abandon Kokura and fly to the secondary target, the port city of Nagasaki. Nagasaki

has a population of over 200,000 and is an industrial city with a long history of trade with the West.

It was once an important "window" for Japan to the outside world and later gradually became Japan's major international trade port.

Tobacco, firearms and Christianity were first introduced to Japan in Nagasaki.

The most important thing is The area housed Mitsubishi shipyards, steel mills, torpedo factories, and weapons and ammunition depots.

Thus, about 20 minutes after the Kokura evacuation, American B-29s arrived in Nagasaki.

At 11:02 a.m. on August 9, 1945 , the atomic bomb detonated over Nagasaki.

In less than a second, the blast flattened the city center, instantly vaporizing approximately 35,000 people.

Although the bomb was more powerful , the surrounding hills mitigated the direct impact of the shockwave and fireball . Compared to

. Compared to Hiroshima, more areas of Nagasaki survived.

Even so, tens of thousands of people subsequently died from injuries or radiation exposure.

The combined atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki claimed over 200,000 lives, annihilating both cities in an instant.

The scale of the devastation was unprecedented.

The world waited with bated breath for Japan's response: Would their government remain silent?

Would they watch more cities , perhaps even Tokyo itself , wiped from the face of the earth?

What would it take for Japan to surrender?

No one could be sure.

By the time atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, anyone with a discerning eye could see that Japan's defeat was inevitable .

The navy and air force had nearly collapsed , and under the high-pressure blockade of the United States, the people were starving and hungry. The US military's incendiary bomb raids were almost continuous, with

hungry. The US military's incendiary bomb raids were almost continuous, with repeated bombings.

Although some people within the government, especially Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo , who later became a Class A war criminal , were inclined to resolve the war through diplomatic means , their inclination was useless. Their words did not count.

Hard-line militarists still controlled and determined Japan's future.

At this time, even if Emperor Hirohito himself was willing to surrender, without the support of military leaders, he would not have the legal power to enforce the Meiji Restoration of the 19th century, which established the emperor. The Emperor is the divine ruler of Japan.

In theory, he appoints all senior military and political officials and leads Japan's armed forces in wartime.

However, most of the time, the Emperor is just a symbolic head of state with almost no actual political power.

He formally approves policies formulated by others after the death of Emperor Meiji. After Emperor

Taisho, Emperor Showa came .

Emperor Showa, named Hirohito, is the 124th Emperor of Japan.

He was named Crown Prince in 1916. He became Regent in 1921 and officially ascended the throne in 1926. He changed the era name to Showa , which is a quote from the ancient Chinese book "Shangshu": "The people are bright and clear, and the nations are in harmony."

The year he ascended to the throne, Japan's political situation was already in chaos.

Four years after he ascended to the throne, the situation deteriorated further as State Shintoism spread widely in military academies . They had almost complete control over public opinion and national policy.

. They had almost complete control over public opinion and national policy.

Anyone who dared to oppose it would often be assassinated.

A few years later, World War II broke out . Brainwashing and extremism had become normalized in Japan.

. Brainwashing and extremism had become normalized in Japan.

In the months before the end of the war in 1945, when Japan faced the threat of famine, invasion and nuclear destruction, the decision on whether to surrender ultimately fell to the "Supreme War Leadership Council".

This was a leadership organization established by Japan during the war . It was established in 1944 and abolished after the surrender in 1945.

. It was established in 1944 and abolished after the surrender in 1945.

The committee had a total of six members.

To a certain extent, Japan's fate fell into the hands of these six people.

According to regulations, the Supreme War Leadership Council was to hold regular meetings.

In addition to the six members , other military and political leaders were also present when necessary to attend very important matters.

Discussions would also be held in the form of an Imperial Conference, and the Emperor would personally attend as an observer.

Please note that the word "observant" needs to be put in double quotes.

I will explain this person at the end.

Although he has a significant influence , the Emperor rarely speaks directly.

His role is more to formally approve bills or proposals put forward by the conference . In 1945,

. In 1945, four military leaders occupied the Supreme War Leadership Committee , namely Army Minister Anami Korechika, Navy Minister Yonai Mitsumasa, Army Chief of Staff Umezu Yoshijiro , and Chief of the Naval General Staff Toyoda Soemu.

All four of them were firmly opposed to surrender at the beginning.

Although they knew that the chances of victory were very slim , they still advocated continuing the war.

They envisioned a decisive final battle on the Japanese mainland , hoping to inflict heavy casualties on the Allied forces.

Therefore, they tried to make peace under favorable conditions.

These four people were not a monolithic group.

At least, Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai should have had a clearer understanding of the direction of the war.

The fifth member was the then Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki , a former Navy admiral.

Realizing Japan's dire situation, Prime Minister Suzuki preferred to use diplomatic means to preserve part of the country's sovereignty and the last bit of dignity, but he was unwilling to openly oppose the Army and Navy Ministers at the meeting.

The sixth and final member was Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo .

Among the six, he was the only one without military experience , and he was the only one who began to advocate a peaceful solution through negotiations after taking office.

Even though Tokyo had suffered a large-scale bombing and more than 100,000 civilians had died in the air raids, Japan's will to go to war seemed unwavering.

Tokyo Broadcasting Station broadcast to the nation: Our air defense is like an iron wall.

All Japanese men, women, young and old should stand up to defend the motherland. It is us. Their glory

would only intensify the enemy bombing.

The media outlets continued to project confidence, but doubts were already emerging within the government, questioning whether Japan could continue the war for long.

As the war situation grew increasingly critical, Prime Minister Suzuki ordered Cabinet Secretary Hisatsune Sakomizu to secretly compile a report on Japan's final remaining resources, gathering military and civilian experts from various key industries to jointly assess whether victory was still possible.

The report stated that Japan's economy was on the verge of collapse and was far worse than anyone had imagined.

Steel production was less than 100,000 tons per month, 70% lower than official estimates.

Coal shortages had halved ammunition production, and resource scarcity had reduced aircraft production to 30%.

The entire transportation system was on the verge of collapse due to fuel shortages and a lack of manpower . Hisatsune Sakomizu predicted in his report that intercity railways and shipbuilding would cease within weeks. Factories were on the verge of shutting down, and the chemical industry was on the verge of collapse. To make matters worse

collapse. To make matters worse , American submarines were blocking sea transportation routes, and oil reserves could not be replenished.

The Japanese government was so desperate that it tried to use pine wood to make aviation fuel.

The people were on the verge of starvation.

The government even began to convert acorns into food , reducing the people's rations to one-third of the minimum standard.

Anshui Jiuchang's report was finally submitted to the Supreme War Leadership Conference in May 1945.

The dire situation was not surprising and shocked most people.

Someone suggested asking the Soviet Union for help and asking the Soviet Union to mediate and end the war through reconciliation.

If this had been said a week ago, he would probably have been kicked out of the venue.

But now the situation was clear and the time had come to face it.

The topic of "peace", which had always been considered taboo, was finally being discussed openly, but the relevant content was required to be strictly confidential.

Military leaders, in particular, were worried that if the army Knowing that their intention to negotiate would seriously undermine morale and even trigger a coup, Sweden, Switzerland, China , and even the Vatican were considered as possible mediators.

After some discussion, people still focused their attention on the Soviet Union.

They believed that the Soviet Union, which had always maintained a neutral attitude, would prefer to see a strong Japan survive the war.

Why did they say that?

Because Japan could serve as a buffer between the United States and the Soviet Union.

If the Soviet Union mediated on Japan's behalf, Japan could also avoid unconditional surrender , which would at least preserve some strength.

However, there was a certain degree of disagreement among the Japanese top brass on this view.

The six people on the Supreme War Leadership Committee , Army Chief of Staff Yoshijiro Umezu, regarded Soviet mediation as Japan's best option.

Army Minister Anami Korechika also agreed, but Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo disagreed.

He believed that the brothers' views were unrealistic. He said:

"Trying to win over the Soviet Union to our side now" "I am afraid it is hopeless" "Judging from Russia's past actions" "It is difficult to prevent them from joining the war" " Instead of pinning your hopes on Russia" " It is better to negotiate a ceasefire directly with the United States" Three of the "Big Six" had already made their positions clear.

Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki quickly sided with the military, believing that if Japan expressed its willingness, Stalin would do everything he could to assist the military. He insisted that negotiations could only be conducted through Russia.

the military. He insisted that negotiations could only be conducted through Russia.

Togo Shigenori finally compromised and agreed to help draft a memorandum to be sent to Moscow.

The main content of the memorandum informed Russia that because Japan remained neutral during the 1941 Sino-Soviet Non-Aggression Pact , the Soviet Union had no worries about defeating Germany.

Therefore, assisting Japan in maintaining its international status was extremely beneficial to the Soviet Union, especially considering that the Soviet Union might regard the United States as an enemy in the future . After the message was sent to Moscow,

. After the message was sent to Moscow, Togo Shigenori instructed former Foreign Minister Hirota Koki to visit the people. In the suburbs of Tokyo, Soviet Ambassador Yakov Malik told Hirota Koki that although the Japan-Soviet Non-Aggression Treaty had expired , Japan still hoped to maintain friendly relations with the Soviet Union.

This was not only his personal position, but also the fundamental attitude of the Imperial Japanese Government.

Malik responded: You are right.

The Soviet Union has abided by the treaty and has always adopted a peaceful policy towards Japan.

But to be honest, Japan and Russia have had conflicts in the past . The current Soviet leadership generally distrusts Japan.

. The current Soviet leadership generally distrusts Japan.

In addition, there is anti-Soviet sentiment in Japan.

The Soviet side remains wary of Japan, so it will take a few days to consider your proposal.

Hirota Koki judged that the Soviets were cautious by nature and believed that this meeting went well.

He then reported to Togo Shigenori: "The Soviet response is satisfactory," and "Dialogue seems promising."

However, the situation soon took a turn.

Hopes for Soviet-mediated peace were shattered the next day, June 6th. On

that day, the Supreme War Leadership Conference convened again to discuss the war situation.

Military leaders submitted a document that completely killed any hope of peace or negotiation.

The document was called: "Basic Principles for Future War Conduct."

This basic principle outlined the army's initial plan.

They insisted on fighting the Allies on home soil and fighting until only one man was left.

Togo Shigenori was very angry because he had not been consulted on the proposal.

He said that if the proposal was passed, it would mean the complete destruction of Japan's military. Toyoda Soemu and Anami Korechika immediately fought back fiercely and insisted that the war must continue.

Toyoda Soemu, Chief of the Naval General Staff, said: "Even if the Japanese people are tired of war," "We must fight to the last man."

Army Minister Anami Korechika even shouted: "We are all advisors to His Majesty the Emperor," "If we fail to fulfill our responsibilities..."

"He should sincerely apologize by committing seppuku."

After another hour of heated debate, Togo Shigenori lost support and was ultimately forced to concede . The resolution was passed:

. The resolution was passed: Japan would fight to the bitter end . After the meeting,

. After the meeting, Togo Shigenori reportedly confronted Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai, who also wanted peace talks, saying, "I thought I had your support."

"It seems impossible now."

As things developed to this point , the efforts and calls for peace came and went in a hurry. Even if

those fanatics in the military won the war, they still had to continue.

The resolution had been passed by the Supreme War Leadership Council, and the remaining procedures needed to be completed.

Two days later, on June 8, Japan held an imperial conference, and the emperor approved the resolution.

However, when the emperor walked out of the conference room, a heavy expression appeared on his face .

His trusted confidant, the Minister of the Interior, Kido Yukichi, walked up to him and asked him what was wrong.

Emperor Hirohito then handed a document to Kido and said, "They have made this decision."

Kido Yukichi was shocked after reading the resolution , but according to tradition, he was only an advisor to the emperor and could not directly intervene in politics.

Kido Yukichi, a native of Tokyo, Japan, was sentenced to life imprisonment for war crimes after the war.

In the past, this person had used some tricks.

After the Konoe cabinet resigned, he recommended Tojo Hideki.

The war situation became increasingly unfavorable. Later,

he and the elder ministers joined forces to overthrow the Tojo cabinet.

So this time, after learning that the military was about to push the country to the brink of destruction, Kido Koichi believed decisive action was necessary.

The Emperor himself was the only person no one dared to oppose, and his direct intervention was the only way to save Japan.

Next, Kido Koichi worked overnight to draw up a plan and personally presented it to the Emperor the next day.

His plan detailed an analysis and outlined Japan's current situation.

The most crucial point was clearly that if surrender was to be accepted, the safety of the imperial family must be guaranteed and Japan's existing national system maintained.

It also stated that Japan must withdraw its troops from all occupied territories and be prepared to accept major disarmament agreements.

After reviewing the plan, Emperor Hirohito expressed satisfaction with all the key points.

Then, with the Emperor's permission, Kido Koichi contacted Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai, Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki, and Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo.

These individuals still expressed militaristic views in public, but privately, they had already begun to waver.

Shigenori Togo, in particular , was particularly pleased with Kido Koichi's proposal.

After confirming the support of the three highest war leadership committee members, Emperor Hirohito summoned the "Big Six" to the air raid shelter within the palace . Once everyone was present,

. Once everyone was present, the Emperor spoke first: "This is not an imperial order, just a discussion."

"At the last Supreme War Leadership Conference," "we decided to adopt a new policy," "prepare to defend the country," "but now, I think," " it is necessary to consider moving towards peace.

" "I ask you to take immediate action," "to achieve my wish."

This was an unprecedented situation.

The emperor usually did not express his opinion in meetings , only giving formal approval.

Now he was openly discussing the pursuit of peace.

This was another reversal.

Peace negotiations had to be put back on the agenda.

Previous negotiations between Togo Shigenori and the Soviet ambassador had made no progress.

He subsequently instructed Ambassador to Moscow Sato Naotake to contact the Soviet Union, but was delayed and ignored.

Emperor Hirohito believed that more active action must be taken.

Not only should a special envoy be sent to the Soviet Union , but a high-ranking person should be arranged to ensure that the Soviet Union would take it seriously . So, in July 1945,

. So, in July 1945, former Prime Minister Konoe Fumimaro , also known as Konoe Fumimaro, was recalled to Tokyo.

The emperor asked Konoe Fumimaro, "How do you think the war should be handled?

" Konoe Fumimaro replied, "The people are tired of war," "They all hope that Your Majesty will be merciful and lenient," "to alleviate their suffering."

"Some even believe that the responsibility for the war lies with Your Majesty."

"So the war must be ended as soon as possible."

Emperor Hirohito was very pleased after hearing this.

Soon after, Konoe Fumimaro was officially appointed as the special envoy to Moscow. Sato Naotake formally submitted a note

to Moscow. Sato Naotake formally submitted a note to the Soviet Ministry of Foreign Affairs, conveying the request for a special envoy to mediate peace.

The Japanese top brass held out hope for the Soviet Union, believing that Stalin would eventually provide assistance.

At the same time, military leaders were finalizing the details of "Operation Ketsu."

According to the plan for "Operation Ketsu," Japan had assembled over 10,000 aircraft , two-thirds of which would be used for suicide attacks on the US fleet near Kyushu , and the remaining one-third would be retained as a reserve to defend against possible landing operations around Tokyo.

On the ground, all soldiers and civilians were called upon to rise up in resistance.

The plan was to destroy the landing troops as soon as the US troops set foot on the beach . The Japanese troops were determined to inflict maximum damage to the American landing force if they landed.

With negotiations with the Soviet Union stalled and military leaders still finalizing plans for national defense, on July 26, 1945, Japanese authorities received information about the Potsdam Declaration.

A heated debate ensued among the top Japanese officials over how to respond.

The military advocated for a formal rejection, while Suzuki Kantaro advocated a more cautious approach.

Ultimately, a compromise was reached, allowing newspapers to publish an edited version of the Potsdam Declaration, but without comment or criticism.

However, the next day, newspapers completely ignored the directive and published the Declaration with inflammatory headlines.

The situation forced the Japanese top brass to speak out publicly, and Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro was forced to formally declare: "I believe the Potsdam Declaration is nothing more than a restatement of the Cairo Declaration," "The Japanese government therefore does not consider it important," and "We must mok-satsu (silence)."

This statement was a carefully crafted attempt to disparage the Allied forces' unclear terms and reject them.

Kantaro Suzuki had hoped that "mok-satsu" would be understood as meaning "no comment" in the English context , but the US interpreted it as "silence," viewing Suzuki's statement as a complete rejection of the Potsdam Declaration.

The New York Times even ran a headline: "Japan formally rejects the Allied ultimatum to surrender."

The Japanese failed to realize that Prime Minister Suzuki's statement had already doomed the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki . For the Allies,

. For the Allies, their ultimatum was ridiculed by the Japanese media and even the Prime Minister completely ignored it. The only way was to use the atomic bomb

it. The only way was to use the atomic bomb to force Japan to surrender.

Then the Soviet ambassador to Moscow, Sato Naotake, failed to bring back the good news expected by the Japanese top leaders.

After five days of waiting, the Soviet government formally rejected Emperor Hirohito's request to send a special envoy, clearly conveying the message that the Soviet Union had no intention of negotiating on Japan's behalf.

Even at this point, Japanese leaders still could not face reality.

They had illusions that the Soviet Union would eventually provide assistance , which would become an extremely fatal mistake.

Just as the Japanese were desperately waiting for Soviet assistance, the United States' first atomic bomb "Little Boy" was dropped on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945.

The American nuclear bomb instantly destroyed the entire city.

The news that approximately 80,000 people had died was a shocking event for Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo, who immediately advocated for the acceptance of the Potsdam Declaration.

He believed that the introduction of American nuclear weapons had completely changed the military landscape and provided ample justification for ending the war . However, nuclear weapons were not enough

. However, nuclear weapons were not enough to immediately convince the militarists of reality.

Military leaders ignored Togo's proposals . Army Minister Korechika Anami

. Army Minister Korechika Anami even expressed doubts about the nuclear bomb, believing it might be an American trick, and demanded that nuclear experts be dispatched immediately to investigate its authenticity . Thus, Japan's leading

. Thus, Japan's leading nuclear physicist, Yoshio Nishina, and Intelligence Minister Seizo Arisue were dispatched to Hiroshima to investigate the disaster.

As the plane approached Hiroshima, the two men looked down through the windows, and the scene before them was completely different from what they had expected.

Especially since Arisue Seizo , as the Army Lieutenant General and Second Chief of the General Staff, had seen many burned-down cities.

Usually, there would be residual smoke, smoke from makeshift kitchens , and signs of human activity.

However, Hiroshima was now as silent as death.

No smoke, no fire, nothing.

After landing, Yoshio Nishina began to observe and study the scene . He soon came to the conclusion that

. He soon came to the conclusion that only an atomic bomb could cause such devastating damage .

The results of the investigation were reported to Tokyo , confirming that Hiroshima had been attacked by an atomic bomb.

At this time, Japan's top priority became to immediately negotiate with the Soviet Union.

Achieving peace through Soviet mediation became more urgent than ever . Shigenori Togo immediately

. Shigenori Togo immediately sent a telegram to Ambassador Sato Naotake in Moscow: "The situation is extremely urgent."

"The Soviet Union's attitude must be ascertained as soon as possible.

" "Please make further efforts to obtain a reply immediately."

After receiving this urgent request, Sato met with Soviet Foreign Minister Molotov on August 8.

Although the two had a good personal relationship , Molotov had deliberately avoided Sato for several weeks . This time, as soon as the two met

. This time, as soon as the two met , Molotov did not give Sato a chance to speak and directly read out the official Soviet notification: "On July 26, the Allies" "proposed Japan's unconditional surrender."

"But it was rejected by Japan."

"Therefore, the Japanese government's proposal for Far Eastern mediation to the Soviet Union has lost any basis."

"As an ally, the Soviet Union accepts the Allies' proposal" "and joins the Allied Declaration of July 26.

" "From August 9th" "The Soviet Union will consider Japan a belligerent."

Hours after the news broke that night, the Soviet Red Army entered Northeast China and quickly occupied Jilin, Fushun, and Harbin.

With the United States in control of the atomic bomb, and the Soviet Union sending troops into the war , even the most ardent Japanese militarists had to seriously consider the issue of peace.

This sudden change in stance by the Soviets, who had always maintained neutrality, was a shock to the Japanese top brass, no less than the atomic bomb itself. Upon hearing the news,

itself. Upon hearing the news, on the morning of August 9th, they immediately convened a meeting of the Supreme War Leadership.

Hopes of Soviet mediation for peace had been dashed.

Prime Minister Kantaro Suzuki began by stating, "Under the current circumstances," "I believe our only option" is to accept the Potsdam Declaration and end the war.

"I want to hear your opinions."

Suzuki has always been quite secretive.

He suddenly expressed his willingness to end the war , which surprised others.

Then, a bigger surprise came.

Military member and Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai also expressed his hope to discuss the issue of surrender openly.

At this moment, a report was handed into the meeting room.

The second atomic bomb of the Americans had just bombed Nagasaki.

Some people in the Japanese high-ranking officials, such as Togo Shigenori, originally thought that the United States was just bluffing and they might only have one atomic bomb.

The atomic bomb of Nagasaki completely shattered this fantasy . They had to seriously consider

. They had to seriously consider that Tokyo might also be in danger.

The facts were before them.

No matter how much they talked , Japan could not win this war.

Everyone present agreed that they must accept "Pots However, the conditions for acceptance triggered a debate that lasted for several hours.

Togo Shigenori, Suzuki Kantaro, and Yonai Mitsumasa preferred a single-condition plan , that is, as long as the emperor retained power , they would accept the Potsdam Declaration .

Anami Korechika, Umezu Yoshijiro, and Toyoda Soetake advocated that surrender must be accompanied by four conditions : first, retain the emperor and the imperial system; second, voluntarily disarm, with Japanese officers responsible for the demobilization of the army ; third, Japan's own trial of war criminals ; and fourth, never allow the Allies to occupy Japan.

Togo Shigenori believed that these were completely fantasies , while Anami Korechika believed that these conditions could be met as long as a decisive battle on the mainland forced the United States to accept their demands.

In this way, both sides insisted on accepting the Potsdam Declaration. The specific conditions were still undecided.

At this time, a new situation shocked the Japanese top leaders . On August 9th,

. On August 9th, all members of the Japanese cabinet held a meeting at 2:30 pm to discuss the terms of surrender.

Anami Korechika brought a message saying that an American pilot was shot down and captured in Osaka.

After being tortured, he confessed that the United States had at least 100 atomic bombs.

Tokyo and Kyoto were the next wave of target cities and atomic bombs would be dropped in a few days.

The pilot's name was Marcus MacDeal.

What the Japanese didn't know was that this information was actually fabricated by Marcus.

The United States has always kept the atomic bomb and the Manhattan Project highly confidential.

Marcus didn't know about the atomic bomb at all, nor did he know how many nuclear bombs the United States had.

He was... Unable to withstand the torture , he fabricated some information.

Unexpectedly, this information inadvertently made the Japanese high-ranking officials feel a sense of urgency and thus saved Marcus.

After he "confessed" to the 100 atomic bombs, Marcus became a "specially important person" and was taken from Osaka to Tokyo.

After 19 days, he was rescued from a prisoner-of-war camp.

Also after Japan announced its surrender, 50 American soldiers imprisoned in Osaka were directly executed by the Japanese army.

Although they had "learned" that Tokyo would soon become the target of the atomic bomb , the militarist warmongers still planned to go all the way.

At the cabinet meeting, Army Minister Anami Korechika fully demonstrated his fanaticism for war.

Anami Korechika advocated that the entire Japanese nation should be destroyed rather than face the shame of surrender.

He even said: "If this country is destroyed like a flower", "Isn't it a wonderful sight?"

In order not to surrender , even if the country is destroyed, they would not hesitate . Even so, there are still differences within the government.

. Even so, there are still differences within the government.

Most of the military supports Anami Korechika, and most of the civilians support Togo Shigenori.

This cabinet meeting is deadlocked again.

Both the Supreme War Leadership Committee and the Japanese Cabinet It was impossible for the Japanese top brass to reach a consensus.

The two camps were too far apart. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki,

apart. After Hiroshima and Nagasaki, no one could guarantee that Tokyo would be next. The last resort was to seek an urgent audience with Emperor Hirohito,

next. The last resort was to seek an urgent audience with Emperor Hirohito, Suzuki Kantaro, and Togo Shigenori.

They requested an emergency imperial conference to have the Emperor personally decide on the method of surrender.

This was an unprecedented move.

According to previous management, the Emperor only "attended" meetings , but this time the Emperor would directly intervene in government affairs.

Just like that, after the meeting, the "Big Six" once again came to the Emperor's private air-raid shelter.

In addition to these six people, the meeting also included Privy Council President Hiranuma Kiichiro and Cabinet Secretary Sakomi Hisatsune.

Everyone sat at two parallel rows of tables and prepared to surrender. Ten minutes before midnight, Emperor Hirohito finally entered the cave and sat at a small table at the end of the room.

A copy of Togo Shigenori's proposal was placed in front of everyone.

The Potsdam Declaration was then read aloud so that everyone could hear clearly its content and form. After the procedure was completed,

and form. After the procedure was completed, Prime Minister Suzuki asked each member of the Supreme War Leadership Council to express their opinions . Togo Shigenori spoke first,

. Togo Shigenori spoke first, saying that as long as the imperial system was preserved , the Potsdam Declaration should be accepted.

Insisting on adding additional conditions could jeopardize the entire peace process.

Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai then agreed .

At this moment, Mitsumasa Yonai's agreement angered Anami Korechika, who shouted without regard for his dignity: "I oppose Foreign Minister Togo's opinion."

"Unless the Allies allow Japan to disband its own army," "let Japan try war criminals on its own, " "and will not send troops to occupy Japan," "otherwise the army will not be able to surrender."

As he spoke, tears began to flow.

He again pleaded for a final battle on home soil: "I firmly believe that we can inflict heavy casualties on the enemy," "even if we ultimately fail," "our 100 million people are ready to die for honor," "and leave the great deeds of the Japanese nation in history."

This was the cry of an extreme warmonger.

Two other warmongers, Umezu Yoshijiro and Toyoda Soemu, subsequently expressed their agreement.

After two hours of debate, the meeting was still in a stalemate.

Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro stood up and asked Emperor Hirohito directly: "We have discussed this for a long time," "but we still haven't reached a conclusion."

"The situation is indeed serious, and there is no precedent to follow."

"I must respectfully ask the Emperor to express his wishes."

Because no one knew in advance that the Emperor would express his position today, everyone was shocked .

After Suzuki finished speaking, Emperor Hirohito stood up, and everyone immediately stood up and bowed to the Emperor.

Then Emperor Hirohito said the following: "I have carefully considered the domestic and international situation and have come to the conclusion that continuing the war will lead to the destruction of our nation.

" "I cannot bear to see innocent people suffer.

" "Ending the war is the only way to restore world peace." "The only way to save our nation from suffering."

Honestly, recounting this period of history requires a great deal of restraint .

Every time I read these words, I can't help but think of the suffering of your people, but what about other nations?

You are saving the suffering, but how will you save those you have slaughtered ?

Emperor Hirohito then continued: " I am heartbroken to see these brave and loyal soldiers disarmed.

" "Equally heartbroken are those who once served their duty and are now about to become war criminals.

" "However, the time has come to endure this suffering." "

I held back my tears." "

I agreed to the conditions proposed by Foreign Minister Togo."

"I accepted the Allied Declaration."

As the saying goes, there is no mercy. When

Emperor Hirohito finished speaking , almost everyone present had tears in their eyes, some unable to hold back their sobs, leaning forward with their hands on the table.

Kantaro Suzuki then concluded: "I have listened respectfully to the Emperor's wise words."

"The Emperor's decision."

"It should be the unanimous decision of this meeting."

Although the Emperor had no legal power to enforce it , at such a critical moment, his words were actually an order.

Everyone present, including Anami Korechika, Umezu Yoshijiro, and Toyoda Fuetake, now agreed to accept the Potsdam Declaration.

The only condition was to retain the Emperor's status . Loyalty was an important indicator of the Bushido spirit.

. Loyalty was an important indicator of the Bushido spirit.

Faced with the Emperor's sudden statement, these people had no choice but to accept the Emperor's decision . However, even though the Emperor had clearly expressed his willingness,

. However, even though the Emperor had clearly expressed his willingness, Japan's surrender process was still turbulent.

Since the decision to surrender had been made , the first priority was to notify the United States of Japan's decision.

Early on the morning of August 10, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent two telegrams, one to Sweden, another letter was sent to Switzerland.

The United States received a response from Japan on the morning of August 11.

Although two rounds of atomic bombs had been dropped, the Americans were also surprised that Japan would surrender so quickly.

However , they quickly made the following reply: From the date of surrender, the authority of the Emperor and the Japanese government's rule over the country shall be subject to the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers who shall take appropriate measures to implement the terms of surrender.

The final form of government in Japan shall be determined by the freely expressed will of the Japanese people in accordance with the Potsdam Declaration. Allied armed forces will remain in Japan until the Potsdam Declaration is fully implemented.

Please note that this reply does not make any explicit promises , but implies that if the Japanese people are willing The Emperor system can be preserved.

In the early morning of August 12, Tokyo received a telegram from the United States.

Because the status of the Emperor was not clearly guaranteed, the Japanese high-ranking officials were furious.

Anami Korechika and others advocated directly rejecting the proposal and launching a decisive battle on the Japanese mainland.

Even Suzuki Kantaro changed his position and believed that the Allies could not guarantee the survival of the Emperor system.

Japan must refuse to respond and continue the war . Not long after, the Allies sent another letter

. Not long after, the Allies sent another letter saying that if they refused to respond , they would take further tough measures.

The Emperor's confidant Kido Yukichi also found Prime Minister Suzuki to remind him to remain calm.

If the war continued, millions of people would die from bombing and famine . In addition, ending the war was the Emperor's own wish.

. In addition, ending the war was the Emperor's own wish.

On the other hand, Yonai Mitsumasa did not change his position . Although he was dissatisfied with the United States, he was still worried about the United States. The people's response was also angry, but they still advised the emperor that if he did not accept the conditions of the Allies, rebellion would likely break out in the country.

In a sense, the atomic bomb or the Soviet Union's entry into the war was like a gift from God, because this way they would not have to say that they gave up the war because of the domestic situation.

The debate among the Japanese high-level officials continued.

The anger caused by the US response had spread among the army.

A group of officers found Anami Korechika and asked for support for their coup.

A major officer named Hatanaka Kenji began to step forward and planned to overthrow the government to ensure that there would be no surrender.

Let's see, this is the portrait of Hatanaka Kenji.

He looks quiet and simple, but in fact he has been brainwashed to the extreme.

Hatanaka Kenji and others found Anami Korechika and explained that they were preparing to launch a coup.

Anami Korechika did not agree to their request nor did he stop these people from taking action.

These officers would plan a big event in the next few days . On the army side, there was Kenji Hatanaka, and

. On the army side, there was Kenji Hatanaka, and on the navy side, there was Takijiro Ōnishi.

We all know that Japan had a "Kamikaze Special Attack Force" during World War II. They used suicide bombings to crash planes into American warships.

Their slogan at the time was "One man, one plane, one bomb for one ship."

Takijiro Ōnishi was the founder of the Kamikaze Special Attack Force.

On August 13, 1945 , when Suzuki Kantaro and Togo Shigenori were meeting, Takijiro Ōnishi broke into the meeting room and said to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister: "We must present our plan to His Majesty."

"Please ask him to reconsider."

"If we use suicide attacks," "20 million Japanese will be sacrificed."

"Victory will be ours."

Please note that the translation of this sentence from Japanese may be a bit awkward , but I think everyone should understand the basic meaning.

"At the cost of 20 million lives for victory," he said, "one general's success is achieved at the cost of thousands of lives."

This is probably the situation.

Togo and Suzuki did not agree to Onishi Takijiro.

However, at the same time, a team of B-29 bombers dropped thousands of leaflets on Tokyo , which fully outlined Japan's surrender proposal and the American response.

The inside story of the high-level surrender plan had already spread among the military and the public.

The government and officials were facing the risk of coup, assassination and total collapse as soon as possible. Accepting the American conditions became a top priority.

At 10:20 a.m. on

August 14, 1945 , Emperor Hirohito summoned Japan's most senior military generals to hold a final imperial conference to decide Japan's fate.

Among the participants was Hata Shunroku, a Class A war criminal who had long served as commander of the China Expeditionary Army.

At the time, he was commander of the Second General Army of Japan and a field marshal in charge of all the troops guarding southern Japan, the troops that Anami Korechika hoped would fight the final decisive battle.

Many people in the military were looking forward to Hata Shunroku's speech , believing that it would influence the conference to continue the war.

However, to the shock of the soldiers, Hata Shunroku said: "I have no confidence in resisting the invasion of the enemy."

"The Emperor is right to wish to accept the Potsdam Declaration."

His remarks became the last straw that broke the camel's back for the war faction.

Emperor Hirohito then pointed out that the situation was already clear.

He asked all military leaders to respect his wishes and help the country end the war as soon as possible. After obtaining the military's loyalty,

possible. After obtaining the military's loyalty, Hirohito returned to his private residence before 11 a.m. and

delivered his final verdict to the entire cabinet, the Supreme War Leadership Council and other senior government officials : "I have listened carefully to the opinions of all parties."

"I advocate Japan's unconditional surrender."

"Continuing the war will only bring more destruction."

"In order to let all citizens know my decision," "Please draft an imperial edict immediately," "So that I can broadcast it to the whole country."

"I urge you to do your best."

"We are prepared for the difficult days ahead," he said, and a meeting was held immediately.

The cabinet unanimously agreed to formally enact the emperor's words into law, and all senior officials signed the surrender document . In short, by 11 o'clock that evening

. In short, by 11 o'clock that evening , all signatures were completed, and the surrender officially took effect.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs then conveyed the official document to Japanese diplomats stationed in Sweden and Switzerland, who passed it on to the United States, Britain, the Soviet Union, and China respectively.

A week ago, surrender would have been unthinkable, and the worship of State Shinto had a profound impact on Japanese society.

People might not believe it.

The only way to disobey the government's decision was for the emperor to personally announce it to the people.

This was an unprecedented move , as the people had never heard the emperor's voice.

At 11 o'clock that night, Emperor Hirohito , with the assistance of relevant technical personnel from the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK), recorded the speech and produced 1 The speech was originally scheduled to be broadcast to the public the next day .

The fanatics among the military were also preparing to implement their plan.

After learning that the Emperor was going to record the broadcast, Hatanaka Kenji led a group of people to sneak into the Imperial Palace to find and destroy the CD of the Emperor's speech to prevent it from being broadcast to the public.

If they wanted to control the Imperial Palace , they had to obtain the support of the Imperial Guard Division.

Hatanaka Kenji then found the Imperial Guard Division Commander Mori Takeshi. Mori Takeshi

insisted on opposing the coup.

Without warning, Hatanaka Kenji suddenly drew his gun and killed Mori Takeshi.

Then, Hatanaka Kenji took out a seal and forged an order ordering the Imperial Palace guards to completely block the Imperial Palace.

Within minutes, all the gates of the Imperial Palace were sealed, and the Emperor and others were trapped inside . Hatanaka immediately sent a search team

. Hatanaka immediately sent a search team to look for the Emperor's recording.

At the same time, Hatanaka Kenji and his men were on Togo Shigenori, Suzuki Kantaro, and Kido Koichi hated these people to the core, believing they had misled the Emperor, so assassinating them became their next target.

Kido Koichi escaped by disguising himself as a doctor and hiding in an underground vault.

Suzuki Kantaro was only able to escape at the last moment after a colleague secretly warned him.

The rebels, believing he was at home , locked the door and set fire to the vault.

For the next month , Suzuki needed police protection and changed his residence every night.

Hatanaka Kenji burned down a number of houses and returned to the Imperial Palace to begin his collapse.

The Emperor's recordings were never found.

News of the coup had spread, and a large force was on its way to quell the rebellion. Men were sent to win the support of Anami Korechika.

When they arrived at Anami's residence, they found him about to commit suicide.

Unable to face the Emperor's surrender speech, Anami Korechika decided to commit seppuku to restore his honor. He

left behind a suicide note , which read, "I die to atone for my sins," and was signed, "Minister of War. " No one knew whether the "great sin" in Anami Korechika's case referred to losing the war or failing to prevent the coup. As

things developed to this point , Hatanaka Kenji's rebellion began to disintegrate.

By the morning of August 15, the coup had completely failed.

With nowhere else to turn, Hatanaka went to the broadcasting station and threatened to use force , demanding that he himself broadcast to the whole nation opposing surrender and accepting the Potsdam Declaration . The broadcaster repeatedly refused, citing technical reasons as an excuse

. The broadcaster repeatedly refused, citing technical reasons as an excuse . In desperation, Hatanaka rode a motorcycle

. In desperation, Hatanaka rode a motorcycle on the streets of Tokyo distributing leaflets.

He eventually committed seppuku and shot himself before being arrested.

At this time, there were only 40 minutes left before the Emperor's speech was broadcast. The coup had failed, and the recording was well preserved.

Emperor Hirohito's speech was broadcast to the whole country at 12 noon on August 15, 1945.

All of Japan, soldiers and civilians, men, women, and children, gathered to hear the Emperor's voice for the first time.

The war was finally over.

On September 2nd, the formal surrender ceremony was held aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

Representatives from all Allied nations gathered, followed by a speech by Supreme Allied Commander Douglas MacArthur.

Japanese representatives signed the instrument of surrender one by one, and Japanese troops in various regions laid down their arms and returned home.

The Allied occupation of Japan, which began on August 28th, 1945 , lasted for seven years. Japan was thoroughly Westernized and became a key ally of the United States in East Asia . Emperor Hirohito continued to rule,

. Emperor Hirohito continued to rule, but his aura of divinity gradually faded.

On New Year's Day 1946, Hirohito issued a human declaration, denying the emperor's divine status and the superiority of the Japanese people over other nations . Kantaro Suzuki resigned as Prime Minister

. Kantaro Suzuki resigned as Prime Minister after Japan's surrender . He died of liver cancer in 1948.

. He died of liver cancer in 1948.

Foreign Minister Shigenori Togo was sentenced to 20 years in prison by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East as a Class A war criminal. He died of illness at the 361st Army Hospital in Japan in 1950 at the age of 68.

Navy Minister Mitsumasa Yonai died of pneumonia in 1948 at the age of 68. Army Chief of Staff Yoshijiro Umezu, a Class A war criminal and one of the main perpetrators of the war of aggression against China, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1949 due to rectal cancer while serving his sentence at the age of 67.

Chief of the Naval General Staff Toyoda Soemu was arrested as a suspected war criminal in 1945 and was eventually acquitted.

He died in 1957 at the age of 72.

Koichi Kido, as one of the Emperor's confidants, played a vital role in the Pacific War. He actively participated in politics before and after the war, including recommending Hideki Tojo for prime minister.

In 1945, he was sentenced to life imprisonment as a Class A war criminal. He was released on parole in 1955 and died of liver cirrhosis in 1977 at the age of 87.

Looking back at history, the war launched by Japanese militarism had a devastating impact on various countries and regions.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Japan launched an unwinnable war. Even

though the navy was destroyed and the pilots were reduced to suicide squads, the empire was almost collapsed.

Even after the two atomic bombs, Japan still did not accept the Allied conditions.

The country was controlled by militarist fanatics. It

believed in State Shintoism and refused to fear, retreat, and most importantly, surrender.

Many Some people preferred death to surrender, even extreme cases willingly opting for the annihilation of the entire Japanese nation rather than surrender to the enemy.

For Japan to surrender and end the war required unprecedented events.

From this perspective alone, the true reason for Japan's surrender was the emperor, breaking with tradition and breaking the months-long deadlock in the Japanese government by declaring the Allied terms must be accepted.

Without the emperor's direct intervention, no one knows how long the Japanese military would have held out, let alone the countless lives lost.

Therefore, from this perspective, Emperor Hirohito's perspective is essential to understanding Japan's surrender.

This raises the question : while this figure played a positive role in the surrender , what was his role like during the war?

Was he truly innocent?

After the end of World War II, many people wondered why Emperor Hirohito , Japan's supreme leader, was not listed as a war criminal.

Logically, the war was launched in his name.

The Nanjing Massacre, the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the Pacific War all had the emperor's approval . So why did Tojo and his ilk face execution,

. So why did Tojo and his ilk face execution, while the emperor remained unharmed?

The real reason was not because he was innocent but because the United States needed him.

Japan had just been defeated in the war and millions of citizens still worshipped the emperor as a "god".

If the Americans really brought Hirohito to trial or even executed him, Japanese society would probably collapse completely.

Millions of people would rise up to resist the US military occupation and it would be impossible to proceed smoothly.

Therefore, the Americans knew very well that instead of overthrowing the emperor, it would be better to keep him and let him be a "stabilizer".

As long as they used Hirohito's influence , they could appease the Japanese and promote reforms . Thus, a "responsibility division" drama

. Thus, a "responsibility division" drama was staged.

The responsibility for the war was all put on the military and soldiers like Hideki Tojo.

But what about the emperor?

He was packaged as a "helpless symbol of peace", as if he was just sidelined and forced to approve the entire war .

This is of course not true.

Later public archives showed that Emperor Hirohito was not completely a bystander during the war.

He personally approved military operations many times , even including the attack on Pearl Harbor.

But these details were all deliberately concealed.

After the outbreak of the Cold War , it was even more impossible for the United States to touch the emperor because the United States needed Japan to be the forefront of East Asia.

Once the emperor was executed, Japan would fall into turmoil and might even allow the Soviet Union to become stronger, which was not in the interests of the United States.

So in the end , Hideki Tojo was hanged , but Emperor Hirohito was completely "de-responsible".

In the post-war Japanese Constitution, he was written as a "symbol" without real power, but continued to exist.

Emperor Hirohito survived not because of his innocence, but because in the eyes of the United States, he was more useful than war criminals.