‘US government documents admit that the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki was not necessary to end WWII. Japan was on the verge of surrendering. The nuclear attack was the first strike in Washington's Cold War on the Soviet Union. Ben Norton reviews the historical record.’
they were already attempting to surrender before that. they just had one single term - that the emperor would be allowed to live. the Americans stalled them, holding out for an unconditional surrender (which they didn't stick to after the bombs were dropped), and when they went to the Soviets after, they were ignored because Stalin wanted to remain on good terms with the US / wanted favorable terms at Malta.