AF
This telegram must be                   Moscow
closely paraphrased be-                 Dated August 15, 1941
fore being comunicated                  Rec'd 12:30 am; 16th
to anyone.  (SC)
 
Secretary of State, 
     Washington.
 
 
     TRIPLE PRIORI TY
 
     1510, .August 15, 10 p.m.
 
     FOR THE PRESIDENT, THE SECRETARY, AND 
UNDER SECRETARY
 
My 1508, August 15,  8 p.m., and 1509, August 15, 9 p.m.
 
 
     In reply to an inquiry as to whether he was satis-
fied with the progress of the war, particularly in the
Ukraine, Stalin replied that he was not (repeat not)
satisfied and that the position in the Ukaraine "is
very strained."  After a pause, he added "today or
tomorrow, the Soviet forces must leave Nikolaev." He
remarked that the "German, Austrian, Italian, Hungarian
and Rumanian troops are acting jointly against us in
that area" and continued "there are at least three
hundred divisions against our troops on the whole
front."
 
     He then inquired of Crippps as to the position at
Tobruk and asked specifically whether German or Italian
                                     troops