DLA
This telegram must be closely paraphrased before being communicated to anyone. (SC)
 
Moscow
Dated December 8, 1942
Rec'd 12:50 p.m. 9th
 
Secretary of State,
Washington.
 
TRIPLE PRIORITY
     
     523, December 8, 8 p.m. (SECTION SIX)
     Another angle of my discussions with the generals that may be of interest to you
concerned the German air power.  One Soviet officer asked where the German air force had gone;
another asked what the Germans were preparing to do with their air power.
     In the resultant discussion the Russians said the Germans have been using far less air force
than previously employed on the Russian front.  they expressed the opinion likewise that the
Germans are now using less air force in Africa and comparatively none over the British Isles.
     These discussions led to two conclusions: one, that the Germans are conserving their air
power and petroleum for an attack or, two, that the Germans are building interior defense lines
and have decided to conserve their air power for defensive action.