It wasn't about payback. It was about ending the war as quickly as possible, and with minimum loss of life, especially allied life's.
More people were dieing each night in the carpet bombing than died in the two nuclear attacks. They may be a little more indiscriminate but all bombing is devastating.
Just have a look at what adexkola said up there.
My comment was directed at such stupidity, and specifically at people saying things like: "Well, the Japs were committing atrocities up and down the Pacific, so they had it coming, really."
That is absurd, and hollow.
The Allies fought for a good cause, no doubt, but no one can claim the moral high-ground here. I recall reading about what some American military leader said about it during the Nuremberg Trials: 'If we'd lost, it'd have been us out there' or words to that effect.
I'll just never forget those pictures of burnt-up kids. They had nothing to do with it, and boom! - We visit that on them.
And the true horror of a nuclear bomb is not felt at the time it is dropped, but in the aftermath. That's what makes it such a very terrible weapon.