It would have been political suicide for the leaders of the U.S. and Britain to agree to "concessions." The final decision to allow Japan to keep their Emperor was not a concession, but rather a self-interest
Of course it would have been political suicide. So what?
AS far as allowing them to retain the Emperor, why dance around with word games to avoid using the word "concession." It could have been done before the bombs were dropped, and the surrender could have been accomplished with or without a "demonstration" of their ability to bury Japan beneath the sea. Japan already knew the US could firebomb them at will--anywhere, anytime.
IF the concession (or not concession, as you prefer to call it) had been given BEFORE the bombs; then the heartfelt efforts of many fine leaders who strove to prevent the dropping of the bombs could have been vindicated, or proven illusory.
Having decided not to make the "not concession" as a "self-interest choice", one can only presume that something more pressing than their "self-interest choice" was pressing them to press the buttons.
"What it comes down to, is who dictates the terms of a surrender
That is correct. And, it is how a man treats the helpless and the pitiful that determines his humanity.
Dictators "dictate." If the goal is to live in peace and prosperity with the enemy, then how you treat them in victory will determine how well you have understood the interrelationship, and the commonality which exists.
The allies did not understand this lesson at the treaty of Versailles. At the end of the second world war they had forgotten it. During the remainder of the forties and fifies, they remembered it again.
I had a friend who survived the Bataan death march. He carried a knife in his boot for the rest of his life, and was a bitter and hateful man. He has his counterparts in all countries of the world. Warriors from every country committed war crimes for which they were never tried. Outright killing of guards after liberation; murder of POW's, etc...and sometimes torture.
I have a rather definite bias for the free world and western culture. However, it is reckless to be dismissive of others or to let "patriotism" diminish the human perspective.
Anyway, I thought you might get something from this account of one man's survival of Bataan...
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