Thing is, culture only goes so far. That was one of the big things I learned in my Navy career, with all the cultures I’ve seen and experienced around the world: while cultures and religions can and do vary wildly, people are much the same all over the planet, with the same range of likes and dislikes, fears, wants, and needs.

In July 1945, Japan was already trying to negotiate terms of surrender through Moscow. If their culture indeed overrode their humanity to such a degree, no such negotiation could have been taking place. But they — like thee and me — are human.