Conference held on 31st  July, 1941.  between M.Stalin,
       Mr. Hopkins, and the interpreter M. Litvinov. at the
       Kremlin in Moscow -6.30 p.m. to 9-30 p.m.
 
           I told Mr. Stalin that the President was anxious to have
his - Stalin's - appreciation and analysis of the war between
Germany and Russia. Mr. Stalin outlined the situation as
follows: -
 
         He stated that in his opinion the German Army had 175 
divisions on Russia's western front at the outbreak of the war,
and that since the outbreak of the war, this has been increased
to 232 divisions: he believes that Germany can mobiles 
divisions.
 
     He stated that Russia had 180 divisions at the
outbreak of the war, but many of these were well back of the line
of combat, and could not be quickly mobilised, so that when
the Germans struck it was impossible to offer adequate resistance.
The line which is new held is a far mere propitious one than 
the mere advaneed line which they might have taken up had their
divisions been prepared. Since war began, hewever, divisions
have been placed in their appropriate positions, and at the
present time he believes that Russia has a few more divisions
than Germany, and places the number of Russian divisions
at 240 in the front, with 20  in reserve. Stalin said 
that about one third of these divisions had not as yet been 
under fire.
 
          Mr. Stalin stated that he can mobilis, 350 divisions
and will have that many divisions under arms by the time the
spring campaign begins in May, 1942.
 
          He is anxious to have as many of his divisions as
possible in contact with the enemy, because then the troops
learn that Germans can be killed and are not supermen. This
gives his divisions the same kind of confidence that a pilot
gets after his first combat in the air. Stalin said that
"nothing in warfare eau take the plaoe of actual combat" and