Wasted CLV said:
Are you talking about the Allies taking the fight into Russia after the war was over? I think you are right, that would have been a huge disaster.
When the war was over, indeed a point of no return might have been crossed. But it's much more complicated.
At least when you try to look at this not from the Western perspective only.
This whole problem started before and during WWII. First of all there was the ignorant love for Communism in the West. In England, France, Holland, you name it.. many people in the West didn't have a clue about how much the people suffered under it in the East. If they knew it, they closed there eyes. There are exceptions, e.g. George Orwell tried desperately to show what went on but he fought a lost battle.
If politics (and the terribly important diplomacy that goes with it!) were different, things could have been better for a lot of people. This has not been tried and that's certainly a bitter pill for everyone in that area and naturally the West let the Sowiets become stronger, so the consequences were not good for themselves either. By letting the Sowiets eat up the East, the other allies basically invited them and themselves to the Cold War.
Also on the military level I wouldn't have minded if the Western allies would have made different choices. In some cases they advanced very slowly (e.g. they chose to stay around in Italy for way too long), letting the Russians do the (often dirty) work
and letting them take control. "Liberating" land from the Nazi's, with countless of cruel rapings and killings of citizens.
There was simply not enough diplomacy for the best interests of the Polish allies (who desperately wanted to fight for the liberation of their country as well), which military were especially used in the West and who brought a lot of sacrifice for American and other western troops. Monte Casino should ring a bell. And in the disastrous Battle of Arnhem they shielded the retreat of the 1st Airborne, suffering many casualities in the process (led by the legendary general Sosabowski who jumped with them out of the planes and who later unjustly got the blame for the operation!) These troops often had to fight more than once and became experienced soldiers, which the Germans rather not met in battle.
The Polish were allies, but were not treated accordingly. Their soldiers were used, their leaders were ignored and not involved in the diplomacy talks. Their folk forgotten.
They were
sold to Stalin. So were the other Eastern European countries. Epic failure.
And Patton.. I sure would like to learn more about him. I have the film
Patton, still didn't watch it, but I am very curious.
Love this stuff (found on wiki):
The use of black troops during the push to the Siegfried Line offers some insight into Patton's racial attitude. The first black tank unit, the 761st "Black Panther" Tank Battalion, was assigned to Patton in the fall of 1944, at his request. As the 761st was about to enter combat, Patton reviewed the battalion and addressed the men:
Men, you're the first Negro tankers to ever fight in the American Army. I would never have asked for you if you weren't good. I have nothing but the best in my Army. I don't care what color you are as long as you go up there and kill those Kraut sons of bitches. Everyone has their eyes on you and is expecting great things from you. Most of all your race is looking forward to you. Don't let them down and damn you, don't let me down!
– George S. Patton, The 761st "Black Panther" Tank Battalion in World War II"
