OFFICE OF STRATEGIC SERVICES
                    WASHINGTON, D.C.
 
 
                              20 March 1944
 
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
 
     I give your below a report regarding a situation 
 
in Germany on March 1st.  Our representative 
 
says the following:
 
          "I reproduce this as received; the ideas
     are not mine, but come from a good source.
     The destruction in Berlin is enormous, but it
     is extraordinary to observe the fatalism with
     which the inhabitants accept the new situation.
     Thousands of persons live in the ruins, in cel-
     lars and in temporary shelters.  At the beginning
     of the bombardment, there were many complaints.
     Now it seems the population is somewhat used to
     them.  The common misfortune which all are shar-
     ing has the result that those who suffer are not
     openly complaining.  The air bombardments have
     not caused any internal revolt.  People are not
     any longer raising the question of who is re-
     sponsible.  The misery is so great and so gen-
     eral that it stifles reaction.
 
          "Among persons above 40 years of age, i.e.
     those who have had knowledge of, or participated 
     in, the war of 1914-18, there is a considerable 
     proportion of anti-Hitler sentiment, even of de-
     featism.  Persons of this generation are in open
     opposition to those of the generation which fol-
     lows them, that is to say, those from 18 to 30