I think we're talking at crossed purposes, C.
In plain English:
1. The democratic western allies couldn't have steamed on to Berlin and Moscow in '45 cos there were 10m battle hardened Ruskie soldiers who had the same weapons as us, and it would have been at best a blood bath, at worst a defeat.
2. However we (well, the Yanks on behalf of the western allies) could have nuked the Chinese in 1950 without comeback because the US had working nukes and an easy means of getting them onto Chinese cities from their bases in SK and Jap, while the Chinks didn't have any nukes, nor even an easy way of conventionally hitting US cities. (Though HK may have taken a pounding.)
Therefore, if we'd listen to that General Jack D Ripper or whatever he was called:
1. The beautiful people of Tibet would be living in democratic peace, meditating for our all our souls so we don't have to bother ourselves.
2. The Chinks wouldn't be spreading virus around the world cos the few Chinks left would have three heads and be living in caves.
3. As such, they would not be such a threat to long term western economic or geo-strategic interests.