It's the summer of 1945 and the United States of America and her allies are confronted with a critical dilemma. The Axis powers of Europe were no more, with the German Third Reich signing its unconditional surrender just weeks prior, but its ally to the east, Imperial Japan, has continued on the fight with increasing desperation. Following the costly victory at Iwo Jima earlier in the year, military planners were keenly aware of the high casualties an invasion of the Japanese home island would entail. A full scale invasion of mainland Japan would result in a protracted and devastating campaign, on a scale of which the world has never seen, while a nuclear weapon would hold unknown consequences. American and Allied leadership are forced to weigh their options, and finally bring a decisive end to the deadliest conflict in human history.