>>17821356
>It's only because the Russians were held off that most of Germany fell to the West instead.
Literally not true because the lines of post-war Germany had already been decided, whether Germany resist or not, which makes it even more pointless to throw lives away of children and elderly who shouldnt be fighting.

>perhaps more of Germany would have been eradicated
Perhaps less would have been if Germany surrenered, considering the overwhelmin casualties of the Volksturm that even made wehrmacht soldiers feel appalled because these people were not soldiers and were just thrown away.
Also, a large number of civilian casualties came from NS government directives to evacuate and scorch earth. What do you think happened to East Prussia? The majority of those civilians died because of the chaotic evacuation, not from the actual Red Army.

Bottom line is that Germany wouldnt even consider surrender because to the NS government, nationalism and ideology was worth more than life, and the kids like OP pic had no say in it.
Pic related.