Would less people (Japanese or Ally) have died if Japan were forced to surrender outside the use of Nuclear Bombs?

by Cheaptat

I am curious as to the evidence for how many people might have died causing a japanese surrender?

attakra1

The commonly cited evidence is the Purple Heart military decoration. During World War II, nearly 500,000 Purple Heart medals were manufactured in anticipation of the estimated casualties resulting from the planned Allied invasion of Japan. To the present date, total combined American military casualties of the sixty-five years following the end of World War II—including the Korean and Vietnam Wars—have not exceeded that number. In 2003, there remained 120,000 Purple Heart medals in stock.