Stalingrad

At the time of this writing, Stalingrad has withstood thirty days of constant and destructive siege.  The big question that almost everyone is asking is, “Will the Russians be able to hold the city?” and “How long will they be able to continue in the face of such a terrible assault?”

Whether or not Stalingrad still stands when this article appears in print, no one dares to predict.  But, already now, one thing has become plain and that is that the Russians would rather die than be conquered.  There can be no doubt but what the cost in human lives is terrific not only on the part of Germany but of Russia as well.  How a nation can continue fighting in the face of such a wholesale devastation is indeed surprising.  It certainly doesn’t seem natural, or even possible.  For one thing, it is plain that Russia has a vast amount of man-power.  If this were not the case she would have been compelled to surrender already a long time ago.  More than once we have heard that Russia is not receiving war materials as she should and as was promised her and that she has been holding the invading forces through sheer man-power, through human flesh.  Another thing that has become evident is that Russia has prepared herself to meet the German attack in the city of Stalingrad.  She knew that it was coming and so she prepared herself to resist to the last ditch at this spot.  This, in a measure, accounts for Russia’s ability to stand at this time.  However, the greatest factor in Russia’s resistance is undoubtedly her will to stand and rather to die than to be enslaved.  Here is also an answer to the power of communism as a system of government.  If the Russian people didn’t like it, they wouldn’t fight for it as they do.  Simply “hate”, as such, is not a sufficient reason to explain Russia’s tremendous sacrifice in this war.  France also hated Germany but she was not willing to pay the price that Russia is paying.  We believe that Stalingrad’s defense is an indication of the power of communism.

Communism is more than a system of government.

It is atheistic Russia’s religion!

Air Power

It is generally conceded that this war is being waged predominantly in the air and that it will be won and lost in the air.  We admit that this sounds very reasonable.  No one will deny that the airplane has become a dreadful instrument of destruction.  Therefore it also stands to reason that the nation which is best able to wage an air-war and is most successful in its bombing raids, will win the war.  That means also that the determining factor in the winning of the war will be that of wholesale destruction.  The final outcome will not hinge on the ground battles, on hand to hand fighting or the destruction of armies, but on the destruction of property, of munitions factories, supplies, cities, and consequently of men, women and children.

Just imagine the awful power of destruction of a four ton bomb! That, we are told, is the latest size bomb being used by England in its raids on German property. Compare that with a giant firecracker which you used to set off on the fourth of July; that give you a faint idea of the power of such a bomb.

We may well ask, “Where will it end?”

Every so often we hear of a new secret weapon which will soon be used.  And it seems that each is worse than the former.

Our Young Men

Many of our boys have already gone into the service.  And there are many more who will go in the near future.  There seems to be every reason to believe that before long those of eighteen and up will also be called.  The general opinion seems to be that after the coming election, congress will pass a bill to call up all the young men within this age limit.

Whether or not this will be the case we do not know.  However we do know that the Army has always been in favor of calling the men of this age.  And we have also read that the only thing that has prevented it is the coming election.  Nevertheless, just this morning I read that the President has stated that that would not be necessary.

What can a person believe?

We hope that the boys who are constantly being called up may experience that their strength is in the Lord; that they may also be found faithful.