[i] To Truman, the end (swiftly ending a war and avoiding an invasion that could have lasted three years and cost millions of casualties on both sides) justified the means (wiping out two good-sized cities instantly with nuclear weapons).
TB there is a second pronng to the decision to nuke Japan. Apparently the Russians were going full speed ahead to capture Northern Japan (they still laim they own two islands there), so Truman et al. wanted the war with Japan over on our terms and without another Yalta-like outcome.
But I digress. Imagine the nerve of them Japs doing what they did on Vito's birthday. Talk about ruthless.
