What choices did America have on how to end the war with japan?

Invade the Japanese mainland: This would have been a costly and bloody operation, with estimates of American casualties ranging from 500,000 to 1 million. It would also have risked provoking a Soviet invasion of Japan, as the Soviet Union had already declared war on Japan and was massing troops on the border of Manchuria.

Continue the air and naval blockade of Japan: This strategy was already in place and was slowly strangling the Japanese economy. However, it was taking a long time and there was no guarantee that Japan would surrender before it caused the deaths of millions of Japanese civilians from starvation and disease.

Drop atomic bombs on Japan: This option was only available after the successful test of the atomic bomb in July 1945. It was controversial, as it meant killing large numbers of civilians, but it was also seen as a way to end the war quickly and save American lives.