Mr. Stalin and His Army
Another voice, with its own characteristics, but equally reassur- ing, is that of Mr. Stalin, whose Order of the Day issued on February 23rd, on the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Red Army, will long be remembered. The document is a tremendous statement of the achievements of the Red Army and of the faith of the people who created it. It shows how Soviet Russia, while constructing her new industries, did not neglect to .build up a powerful system of defence ; so that she was able to take heavy toll of the enemy when retreating before his surprise attack, to build up reserves, and move successfully to the offensive in the winter. Mr. Stalin speaks as one absolutely confident of Russia's struggle and of the certainty of victory at no distant date. There is no claim that the enemy is finished ; but he is suffering defeat, and will be given no respite till he has been driven out of Russia and the Baltic States. The coming victory of which he speaks with so much assurance will be a victory of morale, the morale of a nation that is convinced of the justice of its cause, fighting against a nation which has no such conviction. But he denies that Russia is animated by hatred of the German people or any desire to exterminate them, and refuses to identify Hitler's clique with the German people and the German State. This note has been sounded repeatedly since by the Moscow radio. Russian policy is clear-cut and unmistakable on the point, and British policy must be kept in line with it. We cannot speak with a different voice on so vital an issue—and we have no temptation to.
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