[ckarmann]

Japan was never a colony, and Vietnam was a french colony for several generations. You are not getting your examples right.

[Rule35]

Vietnam was addressed as less successful. And Japan was treated like a colony after WW2, like Germany. Both lost most autonomy.

[quonn]

West Germany remained occupied for about 4 years and then quickly transitioned to a high degree of independence (because of Cold War strategy reasons).

Additionally it had been fully developed for hundreds of years so there can be no comparison.

[Rule35]

It still has American military bases. The war ended in 1945.

It didn't get a choice in receiving them, unlike other countries.

[quonn]

It absolutely has that choice now. There are various benefits to having them, mostly economic.

[Rule35]

Yeah, 80 years of occupation and stabilization later they sure could. That's why we did it, to prepare them to support themselves again but from a more stable base.

But what's your point? That colonization doesn't always work? Sure.