[maratd]

For reference to the conversation above:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potsdam_Declaration

A declaration was made and unconditional surrender requested. The Japanese were warned that they would face complete destruction if they refused. The Japanese refused. It is only at that point that the US dropped the two atomic bombs.

[hga]

Indeed, and my awkward essay https://news.ycombinator.com/edit?id=10132884 shows that we know we let the Japanese know prior to the bombings the one condition we were willing to allow, maintaining the position of the Emperor (well, eventually his position was diminished, but not abolished).

The Government, that is, the ministers including Army and Navy forming their parliamentary Cabinet (NOT a US style Cabinet), rejected it out of hand prior to bombings and the Soviet invasion of the Army's precious Manchuria.