760d.61/850: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received 6:40 p.m.]
1133. For the Under Secretary. From the evidence thus far available, due in part to the strong geographic defensive position of the Finns and the inadequacy of roads and road facilities for Soviet troop transport, the overwhelming disparity in manpower has not proved to be as decisive as might have been expected. Insofar as concerns the naval position, the Soviet Navy has thus far accomplished virtually nothing and has not even been able to close the Gulf of Bothnia to fairly regular traffic between Finland and Sweden. The great threat to the Finns appears to be the insufficiency of fast modern pursuit planes with which to drive off bombing attacks, light artillery, and munitions.
The reports I have of the conditions under which the Soviet troops go into battle, such as inadequate clothing [for] extreme cold, insufficient food supplies, and particularly inadequate rail transportation and general disorganization back of the lines make it appear not impossible that a sustained defence by the Finns may produce serious difficulties for the Soviet Government.