Reddit reviews Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan

The Atomic Bombs and the Soviet Invasion: What Drove Japan’s Decision to Surrender?

An essay by Tsuyoshi Hasegawa, the author of Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan.

Fairly long read, but interesting and thorough.

TL;DR Russians were scarier than the nukes.

Nice to meet you, fellow redditor. The Atlantic's WW2 photo series is one of the best around. I always forward the links to my contacts.
I agree with the suggestion of having more photos taken by the Axis soldiers.
Also, you'll have a tough job on documenting the Holocaust without shocking the viewers. I hope that doesn't stop you from dedicating an entry to this subject.
Also, when talking about Japan's surrender, don't forget to mention the part where USSR declares war on Japan. A number of authors thinks that this war declaration was more important that the atomic bombs (read this).
I will read your IAMA. Keep up the good work, Sir.

1. The Manhattan project was kept under wraps until late. Even allied leaders were kept in the dark. Stalin was officially notified that the bomb was being developed at Potsdam (after the successful test of a plutonium-based, implosion-triggered device in New Mexico. However, he probably already knew what was going on as a result of his intelligence apparatus.
   
   
2. Japanese scientists had informed their government that such a bomb was impossible to build. No warning that the bomb had been constructed was given to Japan. The Potsdam declaration warned that Japan must surrender or face destruction. The nature of this destruction was never given, and the Japanese government perceived the warning as a sign of weakness. Additionally, a number of American scientists felt that the bomb ought to have been used against an uninhabited island or some other possible point of demonstration. These scientists were outmaneuvered by Leslie Groves, the head of the Manhattan project (who was quite obsessed with making sure that the bomb made the biggest impact possible). Their proposal never reached Harry Truman.
   
   
3. As implied above, Japan did not know that the United States had such a weapon. The warnings given by the United States were circumscribed and not particularly specific.
   
   For a good history of the atomic bombings from the traditional American perspective I'd recommend Richard Frank's book on the subject. For an alternative look, I'd recommend Hasegawa's Racing the Enemy. They serve pretty well to show the debate on the subject.

there was an article on this recently

I think it got posted to r/history ?

Refers to this new book

Author's webpage

Other resources