861.24/645: Telegram
The Ambassador in the Soviet Union (Steinhardt) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 30—12:16 p.m.]
1736. For the President and Hopkins from Harriman.
First Part. Lord Beaverbrook and I had conversation with Stalin lasting over 3 hours. Molotov present; Litvinov interpreting. We met [meet] with him again tonight.
In the meantime most important information given us is the overpowering strength in numbers of German tanks now used with all infantry divisions and no longer concentrated in mechanized divisions.
Stalin believes Germans now have at least three times as many tanks as the Russians, due to Russian losses and larger production available to German Army.
Light tanks of our type are very welcome, even tanks of 6 tons acceptable, providing they mount a cannon and have 25 millimeter armor.
Stalin states he would prefer that half to two-thirds of the tanks supplied be light tanks of the types described above. Is there any likelihood of still further increasing the light tank production at an early date without interfering with medium tanks?
Second Part. Second meeting with Stalin Monday95 lasted 2 hours. List of requirements was discussed in detail without completion. Stalin declined British and our offer of field guns and mortars. He stressed the need of anti-aircraft guns, particularly of the smaller calibers which can accompany troops, and anti-tank guns, both of which are needed in great numbers.
Meeting again Tuesday night. [Harriman.]
- September 29.↩