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When the ill conceived eastern front started, the manpower and resources needed for the effort quickly grew.

Only ill-concevied if you believe that Germany should have sat back to wait for Stalin's attack, rather than striking at the opportune time.

As for purposely destroying a country they were trying to conquer, you realize that the ideology of the Nazis was to do just that don't you? They wanted to populate the Ukraine and other states with Germanic feudal lords.

You populate a country most easily that has not been totally destroyed in war.

If the German army had tried a different tact with the people they might of caused a revolution in the Soviet states!

I don't disagree. But as it was, the Germans were able to recruit over 3 million Russians and Ukranians to fight with them. You have to wonder how much more they could really accomplish.

Ill conceived in that the Barbarossa attack began to late in the summer, with no winter supplies, and no plans for resupply. Never mind the fact that England was still active on the western front, with the possibility of the US joining in.

Also, if Hitler hadn't committed to taking Stalingrad and the no retreat policy, the Sixth army would of lasted longer.

You populate a country most easily that has not been totally destroyed in war.

Correct. If you are an occupying force, it pays to have the population on your side. The Nazi's didn't see that. Yes, they had whole divisions of Russians and Ukrainians, and the Charlemagne division from France, but the fact remains that most of the population went from cheering the Germans to working against them.