Thanas wrote:
Germany could always wait until political circumstances made it feasible to attack Poland or to partition it again. If not, the gain of so many other territories more than makes up for the loss of the corridor.
Frankly, once Germany proves it is not psycho, some sort of arrangement about the corridor could conceivably be reached: historically Poland would never accept it precisely because they could see the writing on the wall.
But tone down the requirements (for example, lose the exterritoriality in favor of some transit agreement, etc) and it might pass in several years. Then exploit the Polish fear of Russia and bring them into a willing anti-communist alliance...or yeah, wait until you can partition it with the blessing of other great powers.
Overall, invasion was the worst possible option.
It doesnt change Tito's fate and that of his cohorts. They are finished by 1950. Done. Over with. As would any major partisan group in the Balkans be. And besides, unless they can get to the Industrial Core, they cant do much damage anyway.
This isnt even remotely comparable to Vietnam or Afghanistan, especially since neither of those conflicts were about annexxation and absorbtion of territory. And neither of those nations were fighting a power with the willingness to expend the kind of manpower, money, and blood like the Nazis. And neither of them were fighting a power wanting the territory for itself, and not some puppet govt. And no, the USSR doesnt count. The only way it would be comparable is if they demobilized half their forces in Eastern Europe and plopped them down in Afghanistan with orders summed up to shoot them if they resist. And the USSR didnt have the borders manned and defended, like the Nazis will. Its just an entirely different situation.
The entire problem with Vietnam or Afghanistan
was the expense of a protracted guerilla campaign. Both wars could've been won, had the US and USSR been willing to spend even more money and blood and repress their own population some more, but they wisely recognized that this would ruin them.
You make it sound as if fighting a ten year long extermination campaign does not cost you anything. Your genocidal armies still have to be deployed and supplied, and since the entire population resists you (because, you know, you're murdering everybody), they cannot safely draw on local resources without massive amounts of guards and importing essential labor from Germany proper. So everything from food to chamberpots has to be shipped in under escort ; your troops are only safe in heavily fortified garrisons where everything is provided for them ; you cannot trust locals to provide you with any service or even food, etc.
To add insult to injury, both Russians and the British would gleefully supply partisans with whatever they needed, for the precise reason to bleed Germany into collapsing on itself. The expense to do so is trivial compared to the forces tied down and expenses incurred by the enemy.
So yeah, eventually, after twenty years or so, the conquered lands might finally be pacified and ready to settle ; But there's no guarantee you won't bankrupt your empire into a collapse or coup first.
