Or were nukes perhaps an off-the-table consideration for an area populated by allies as well as enemies?
You realize, of course, that claiming the Japanese citizens were - in essence - enemy combatants (to use the modern term for non-military fighting force) is tantamount to a rationalization of terrorism itself - - i.e, seeing civilians as legitimate military/political-objective targets.
And nuking two of their cities in order to save more than would be killed by multiple nuclear weapons strikes .... hmmm, very interesting perspective there!