Friday, 18 February
Dry, sun
At 1.00 a.m., last night there was a very loud gun salute in Moscow. Only this morning did I find out that they were celebrating a landslide victory in which ten divisions of the German armies which were encircled by the Soviet Army in the area around Cherkasy had been completely destroyed. According to the report, when the German army was encircled the German casualities were 52,000, and 20,000 died outside the encirclement, the remaining 11,000 surrendered yesterday. What the Soviet Union captured was too numerous to count, and this was one of the major victories of the Soviet Union recently, and this further proved the mistake that Britain and the United Stateshave underestimated the military might of the Soviet army. According to the words of Military Attaché Guo, the leaders of the British-American military delegation all estimated that the military strength of the German army at Dnieper was very strong. They think that if the Soviet army advances from the old Polish border, there is a possibility they will be cut off by the German army coming from both the South and the North. The leaders did not believe that the German troops, which numbered several hundred thousand, could break through the Soviet army encirclement. This proves that the British and American armies should concentrate on dealing with the German army. They only have twelve divisions, and are not making any progress. The troops that landed at Anzio were recently in danger. No wonder people look down on the combating power of the British and American armies. In the future, the negotiating power of the British and American Governments with regard to European politics will be severely affected.
Today the British broadcast said that the American navy has started attacking the Japanese navy base on Truk Island. That place is the largest Japanese military port in the South Pacific, and if they can capture it then they will be able to reach China directly.
Last night 400 Soviet planes bombarded the Finnish capital Helsinki heavily again. The Finnish surrender cannot be far away. For the last few days, the U.S. newspapers have been discussing how Finland should be treated after her surrender. Most of them advised the Soviets not to be too severe, because firstly it will make the Axis vassals less fearful and leave the Axis earlier, and secondly it for humanitarian reasons. But this time the Finnish army fought in the North, and incurred a huge amount of suffering for people in the area around Leningrad, The Soviet side will not forget this easily. If the Soviet Union can offer generous conditions, then people will praise it for its generosity. But what the outcome will be like I do not dare say.
Sven Hedin[1] published an article, saying that Germany was the only preventing force of the Red disaster, and that Britain and the United States, by helping the Soviet Union fight against Germany, had committed a blunder. For me a so-called geologist talking about politics is a laughing stock for all of us. We might have special knowledge of certain subjects but not on another. But in Europe and the United States it is supposed that if one is knowledgeable in one thing then one would know about everything else. Therefore big business moguls, famous engineers and geologists all talk about politics, and many people believe them. Probably Europeans and Americans have religious faith, they have become used to blindly following someone. In this aspect they are inferior to the Chinese who use their common sense.
The Polish army is fighting in Italy. This move is immensely beneficial to Poland.
The Army & Navy Journal published news saying that Moscow might negotiate peace with Britain and the United States on behalf of the Japanese Government. What American newspapers say may not be true. If yes, Americans will certainly decline the offer. They will only accept an unconditional Japanese surrender. I think the Soviet Union will not do this.
[1] Sven Hedin (1865-1952) was a Swedish geography expert.