What would the US do with the atomic bombs if they weren't been dropped in Japan?

Answer 1

Historians have long speculated on the course of WWII if the US hadn't dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. At one end of the spectrum is the view that the Japanese war machine was near its breaking point and that its leaders would have surrendered anyway, perhaps only a few months after they actually capitulated. On the other hand, the US War Department developed plans for a worst-case scenario in which the Imperial government, due to its long-held code of honor, chose to fight to the death. Half a million or more Allied troops would have been deployed in a land invasion. They would have met resistance potentially stronger than that put up by the Nazis, with the war possibly having lasted until 1948-1950. In either case the West's focus would have been directed away from European reconstruction for a longer time which likely would have allowed Soviet forces to occupy more territory. In addition, without having seen the Horror of atomic destruction there would have been a temptation to use those weapons in some later conflict - after more-powerful bombs had been developed.

It's also been speculated that a Japanese surrender could have been achieved with far fewer civilian casualties if the bombs had been dropped on purely military targets, but again no one can know for sure.

Answer 2

Hypothetically, if the US had not dropped the atomic bombs on Japan, they most likely would have kept them in storage, like they do with the bombs of today.