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But Pat does seem to be making that argument. He states that the Danzig was unfairly taken in his opinion and that since it was 95 percent German maybe Poland should have been more open to negotiation. Given Hitler's adventures prior to that how could anyone believe he'd stop at Danzig? I personally believe and always have that his goal with taking Russia was as a steppingstone to North America, which was his real prize.

He wouldn't have stopped at Danzig, Poland would have become a client state at the beck and call of the Nazis. But Hitler wouldn't have been nearly so hot to wipe Poland off the map either, Hitler would have gone after Russia with his new corridor. This would have given Poland some degree of breathing room. Hitler and Stalin would have been merrily slaughtering each other instead of picking through the bombed out ruins of Poland and acting chummy. It's not like Poland didn't become a Russian vassal after the war anyway.

Think of it this way. By not negotiating Poland got the worst of all worlds. Hitler and Stalin stomped all over them in the war. 5 million dead! Then for standing up to Hitler they got rewarded by being occupied by Stalin.

At least early on in the war I think you're correct, Poland would have been spared a lot of the violence and death they experienced had they cooperated. But Hitler's defeat by the Russians was inevitable either way and then what, Stalin would have tore through Poland in revenge even worse than he did. It was a no win for that country because like Belgium or Holland they simply didn't have much of a military machine. I'm sure the leaders of Poland at the time saw all that and did what they did because of the promises from Britain and France.

I've heard Pat speak on this subject many times and he really seems to underestimate Hitler's intentions and ruthlessness in achieving them. I like him a lot better when he sticks to domestic issues.

“Then for standing up to Hitler they got rewarded by being occupied by Stalin. “

This is sure to give some here fits, but I do recall Buchanan making this very point on Matthews show some years ago, with his comment being that Churchill had betrayed Poland.

Looking at the end outcome for the Poles after depending on the Anglo-French declaration, it is hard to disagree.