Was dropping the atomic bomb necessary? For nearly 80 years, historians have debated President Truman's decision to use nuclear weapons against Japan. But secret intelligence intercepts - classified for decades after the war - reveal what Japanese leaders were actually planning in the summer of 1945.

Using newly available evidence from the "Magic" intercepts, Mat McLachlan examines the brutal alternatives Truman faced: invasion projections of over a million American casualties, Japanese preparations to turn their entire population into combatants, and intelligence proving Japan's refusal to surrender.

Through the stories of Colonel Paul Tibbets, who piloted the Enola Gay, and Reverend Kiyoshi Tanimoto, who survived Hiroshima, this episode explores one of history's most controversial decisions - and why the evidence suggests it was the only choice that could end the war and save lives.

The atomic bombs killed 200,000 people. But would the alternatives have killed millions more?

Presenter: Mat McLachlan

Producer: Jess Stebnicki

Ready to walk in the footsteps of heroes? Join Mat McLachlan on an exclusive river cruise that visits the battlefields of Waterloo, WWI and WW2 in 2027: https://battlefields.com.au/pre-register-for-2027-battlefield-river-cruises/

Find out everything Mat is doing with books, tours and media at https://linktr.ee/matmclachlan

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