Why did they not drop the Atomic bombs in rural areas as a warning/show of strength before using them on cities?
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A demonstration was indeed considered, but decided against:
“At the May 31 meeting, Lawrence suggested that a demonstration of the atomic bomb might possibly convince the Japanese to surrender. This was rejected, however, out of fear that the bomb might be a dud, that the Japanese might put American prisoners of war in the area, or that they might manage to shoot down the plane. The shock value of the new weapon could also be lost. These reasons and others convinced the group that the bomb should be dropped without warning on a “dual target” — a war plant surrounded by workers’ homes. On June 6, Stimson informed President Truman (right) that the Interim Committee recommended keeping the atomic bomb a secret until Japan had been bombed. The attack should take place as soon as possible and without warning. ”
[https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/debate.htm](https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/debate.htm)
As others have noted, the strategic bombing campaign had already destroyed plenty of Japanese cities in less spectacular fashion. In fact, after the Hiroshima bombing, Japanese military leaders still pushed hard to continue the war (suspecting that the U.S. only had 1-2 more bombs), imposed martial law to prevent peace attempts after the Soviets declared war, and even tried to launch a coup against the emperor when he finally issued his surrender broadcast after the Nagasaki bombing. All of this suggests that a demonstration would not have been adequate.
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