[Marxism] What if...?

[Matthieu Gues]

foreverblaze said :
>"First off I want to say that what if thinking is bad. 
It distracts us "Marxists" from analyzing the material conditions 
we see occurring before our very eyes. However, since you are a newcomer 
and I want you to feel welcome to the list I will entertain your query."
And later :
>"In conclusion we should not fantasize about imaginary reactions 
to arbitrary events in hypothetical historical contexts. 
It does nothing but allows us to wax nostalgic in the what ifs 
instead of focusing on reality."
Thanks to you. I agree and I do recognize all the dangers and traps in such a thinking. 
But I also insisted that we should only focus on short-term consequences, 
as a mean of proving that the adage "If only we had stopped Hitler" could very well be simply wrong. 
I do not see what i'm doing here as mere nostalgia, to me it's a way of combating the US rhetoric.
I am sorry if I waste anyone's time, or if this is not the place for such a debate.
Then :
>"Your basis of analysis is flawed Hitler stated that his conquest in the Rhineland was merely to test the French response. Hitler himself admitted  that if France had responded Hitler would have simply pulled back the troops. Your scenario is predicated on the thought that  Hitler was ready to fight and that the defeat would have forced him into isolation. This however does a lot of unsubstantiated historical manipulation. You would be required to imagine Hitler would foolishly send his unprepared forces to slaughter which would in turn reshape his entire political ideology  to the point of abandoning his aspirations for conquest. This seems like a poor slippery slope argument which magically transforms 1936 Hitler into 1945 Hitler. (who still wouldn't tacitly accept defeat) In a condition like this it is unimaginable what would or would not have been done by the Soviets. Stalin and his advocation of "Socialism in one country" most likely wouldn't have
 taken direct military actions unless provoked by numerous amounts of arbitrary triggers. Adversely, KGB agents would most likely be attempting to insight political instability within Germany; which could have provoked a German preemptive assault."
I thank you for your corrections. 
I do not especially cling to the idea of Hitler abandoning his schemes of invasion, it was just a very optimistic idea I put forth. The whole "what if Hitler" thing is based on utmost optimism.

If this topic/debate is really against the rules of the list, tell me so.

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