What were alternatives to the use of nuclear weapons during WWII?

1) Blockading the islands and starving them out.

2) Nukes.

3) Gas attacks

4) Invasion.

Nukes was the least lethal of all the methods. Starvation would have led to millions of Japanese dying.

Gas attacks would have killed millions and left millions blind.

Invasion would have killed millions of Japanese and Allies. My Grandfather was in the occupation. His first job was to man a checkpoint in Tokyo where every civilian had to turn in their government issued weapon.

Japan was no willing to surrender. After what was seen on Okinawa, where civilians started attacking or throwing themselves off cliffs. Add that to kamakazi attacks by planes, boats and submarines, and the Allies determined that the war had to be ended quickly.

Edit-----

Yes, Japan was warned. The did not surrender after the first one because the thought we might only have one, so a second was dropped. Then they surrendered. A third was planned for Tokyo but was still being built.

The Allies decided to use the atomic weapons on the Japanese in order to save American, British and even Japanese lives. The United States understood that Japanese government was preparing to sacrifice the whole nation to stop their invasion. In the air, the Kamikaze were ready to sacrifice themselves. American generals were predicting two to three million Japanese killed or wounded during an invasion.

President Truman issued a letter of warning giving an opportunity to surrender before using the atomic bomb. The letter warned the Japanese government that if they did not surrender completely, Japan would suffer "complete and utter destruction." The Japanese did not reply to the official letter, but the Americans knew the answer by reading the coded messages. Japan intended to fight to the death.

The only other 'alternative' was to pack our bags and go home with our tails between our legs.

Is that what YOU would have done?

Maybe you (and KAM) should have stayed awake during U.S. History class?

Invasion of mainland Japan was the alternative. It would have cost the US close to a million additional servicemen and several million Japanese lives since they were taught to fight to the death, even if all they had were farm equipment. These lives would have included children as well as the elderly. Imperial Japan had already lost the war, so the US would have won the invasion, but at what price? Far fewer people died in the atomic bomb drops then would have died in an invasion.

The alternative was an amphibious assault on Japan, with the large majority of the population being slaughtered as they did their duty to the Emperor by charging the Allied troops armed with sticks, rakes and farming implements.

Japan was warned before the bombs were dropped; the Emperor refused to surrender.

Edit to answer: Check your history; Japan was warned via radio communique that the Allies had a new weapon of unrivalled destructive power and unless unconditional surrender was made the weapon would be used. They were also given a further chance to surrender before the second weapon was dropped; only after the second bomb did Japan concede with the only proviso that the Emperor be allowed to remain on the throne as titular head of the government.

The only option was a land invasion (preceded by massive conventional bombing campaign). Judging from the stiff, suicidal, resistance met in Okinawa, it was estimated that a million US and several million Japanese lives would have been lost.

Atomic weapons used on Japan in the 2nd world war were developed by the USA, UK and Canada.

An invasion of the Japanese homeland where even children had been trained in suicidal attacks on Allied invaders.

The US wanted the war to end but Japan refused to surrender. This was the fastest way to do it.

the other choice was to invade. that would mean US solders shooting civilian and lots of them.

all the people were trained and expected to fight the American solders.

The only other option was to invade mainland Japan and loose over 1.000,000 US troops and then hope Japan surrendered..I think we made the correct choice.

Nuclear weapons are evil as is their use. They are never to be an option no matter what. If it is wrong to murder thousands of civilians it should not be done. If you support murdering children as nuclear weapons do it is insanity. One does not need to know other options to know that this mass murder is wrong. Some things are veil and plain sinful and using WMD is one of them.