I don't disagree with anything you said except
Not nonsensical at all, we did tell the Japanese, through diplomatic channels, that they could expect total and utter destruction if they did not surrender, We did not tell them we had a new type of weapon, it would have lessened the psychological impact
How would it have had any effect if they didn't even know we dropped something that didn't work?
By the way, that is what a terror weapon is, one that shocks the enemy into helplessness.
No, a terror weapon is something used against civilians, and not military. That's the definition of terrorism. The attack on the WTC was a terror attack. The attack on the pentagon was not.
The real point is, could the war have been ended with less loss of American lives if the bombs had never been dropped?
No, my point was, could the war have ended exactly as it did had we nuked a military target instead of a purely civilian one? I believe so.