Our debt to the Russian armies and people is one
which we Id keep for ever in our consciousness. It is not merely that they e destroyed a large portion of Hitler's troops and equipment, a also that they have dealt a heavy blow to the legend of Hider's
Whatever be the outcome of this war, the chapter of history which Mr. Churchill has called "The glory of Russia" always form a chapter which will be read with thankfulness awe. The magnitude of the Russian achievement in destroying many Germans, in throwing the German armies back from grad and Moscow, in removing so much of their own munitions ustry across congested lines of communication, blinds many us to the extent of the losses which they have sustained. Their alties have been appalling ; their war-potential has been severely pered ; and Hitler's armies have within five months occupied area of former Russian territory approaching twice the size of and. Scotland, Wales and Ir:land combined. It is unfair to sia to concentrate. upon the glory of her resistance without g careful thought to the grave sacrifices in men, material and tory which that resistance has entailed. It is unfair to our own Pie to assure them that the campaign of 1942 is certain to be exact replica of that of 190, or that when the sleet of next I'her howls across the steppes Hitler will inevitably find himself another two million casualties and still deprived of his winter rs and his oil. We can all believe that within the next three
• ills the Russians will once again be able to inflict crippling ▪ upon the Germans ; but that belief must be tempered 'by • •onsideration that such a result will only be achieved by almost srhurnan effort on the part of the Russians and ourselves. If
at the end of August the German armies and air force are still battering in vain against a wall of Russian might, then indeed we may cherish the great hope of an early and decisive victory for the United Nations. But if that hope be unfulfilled, or only partially realised, then we may regret that so large a portion of our people have regarded Russia as almost the sole guarantor of victory, and have not realised with sufficient clarity that in the West proportions of power are also being assembled which, although through long and arduous paths, will also ensure the German downfall.
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