@Isegoria posted an interesting piece today quoting Paul Fussel about how the opponents of the atomic bombing of Japan weren't the ones who would have been invading & how horrific it would have been
Of course, those were the same people who'd only accept unconditional surrender
A real "heads I win, tails you lose" situation. They were prepared to spend as many of the lives of their domestic enemies fighting for full control of Japan as necessary.