of men Germany was forced to use for this purpose, and believes that the Germans will have to go on the defensive themselves. There is considerable evidence that they are already doing this. They are burying many of their large tanks in the ground for defensive purposes. The Russians have already found 50 such defensive positions. Mr. Stalin stated that in his opinion Hitler fears that he has too many men on the Russian front, which may account for their preparing some defensive positions so that some of their divisions might be returned to the German western areas of actual or potential operation. He thinks the Germans have now on his front about 70 tank and motorised divisions. He also states that the Russo-German war has already changed the character ef divisional organisation; that the Germans had broken up their large armoured divisions and dispersed this equipment through what Stalin called their tanks and motorised divisions Stalin stated that the war had already shown their infantry divisions must include substantial amounts of mechanised equipment. While Russia had a large number of tank and motorised divisions - none of them were a match for the German 'Panzer' division, but were far stronger than other German divisions. Hence the great pressure on the German infantry divisions which caused the diversion ef German armoured equipment all along the line. Stalin believes that Germany had 30,000 tanks at the outbreak of the Russian war Russia herself had 24,000 tanks and 60 tank divisions with about 400 tanks in eaeh division. They have always had about 50 tanks in each infantry division. Stalin believes that the large divisions are being broken up by the German Staff and as the war progresses the number of men in the divisions will be decreased in both Armies. He states that the pressure on his army in the last ten days had become considerably less, and the only reason he could give for it was that he thought Germany had been unable |