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war against Hitler.
          Stalin said that he believed it was inevitable 
that we should finally come to grips with Hitler on 
some battlefield. The might of Germany was so great 
that, even though Russia might defend herself, it would 
be very difficult for Britain and Russia combined to 
crush the German military machine. He said that the 
one thing that could defeat Hitler, and perhaps without 
ever firing a shot, would be the announcement that the 
United States was going to war with Germany.
          Stalin said that he believed, however, that the war
would be bitter and perhaps long; that if we did get in 
the war he believed the American people would insist on 
their armies coming to grips with German soldiers; and 
he wanted me to tell the President that he would welcome 
the American troops on any part of the Russian front 
under the complete command of the American Army.
          I told Stalin that my mission related entirely to 
matters of supply and that the matter of our joining in 
the war would be decided largely by Hitler himself and 
his encroachment upon our fundamental interests. I told 
him that I doubted that our Government, in event of war 
would want an American army in Russia but that I would 
give his message to the President.
     He repeatedly said that the President and the 
United States had more influence with the common people
of the world today than any other force.