Too late now but you are correct.
Don't forget General Patton wanted to kick the Russians back to their border. General Lemay would have graciously helped.
Imagine if we destroyed Communism by 1946!
Imagine if we destroyed the Iranian revolution in 1980.
Imagine if we DIDN'T destroy Iraq and help destroy Libya and Syria. Politics and War are strange bedfellows.
click the image for the source.
I tend to agree with you however it seems that there was an easier way but apparently it was not taken.
Perhaps it's not too late, Learn to Pray the Rosary Every Day.
“Don’t forget General Patton wanted to kick the Russians back to their border.”
He was not the only one. Just after the war, my uncle who was a PBY flier was stationed in North Korea. According to him, one of their unarmed patrol missions over Manchuria was shot at by the Ruskies. His pilots wanted to rearm the planes and go after them (not a good match up). Denied by higher authority. They were really POed according to him.