he wants to have as many seasoned troops as possible for the great campaign which will come next Spring, He stated that the German troops seemed to be tired, and the officers and men that they had captured had indicated they are "sick of war ". The German reserves are as much as 400 kilometres back of the front, and the communications between the reserves and the front line are extremely difficult. These supply lines require many thousands ef German troops to guard and protect them from Russian raids. He said that in the battle new in progress, very many Russian and German troops are fighting far forward from their respective lines because of the advances made by both sides with their mechanised forces. Stalin said that his soldiers did not consider the battle lost merely because the Germans at one point and another broke through with their mechanised forces. The Russian mechanised forces would attack at another point often moving many miles behind the German line. Merely because German forces pierce the Russian line does not mean the Russians are lost. They fight behind the Germans, are adept at the use of cover and fight their way out in the night. He said "Even the German tanks run out of petrol", This is merely a phase of modern warfare, and accounts for the fact that there have been no mass surrenders of troops on either side. The Russians therefore have many "insurgent" troops which operate behind Germany's so-called front line. They constantly attack German aerodromes and lines of communications. The Russians are more familiar with the terrain and know how to use the natural cover which nature has provided better than the Germans. These "insurgent" troops are proving a great menace to the German offensive. He believes that Germany under estimated the strength of the Russian Army, and have not now enough troops on the whole front to carry on a successful offensive war and at the same time guard their extended lines of communications. He repeatedly emphasised the large number |