With each day the masses’ mood to fight against Hitler increased. After Hitler’s speech of 3 October about the victories of his army, there was noticeable despondency among the workers. News of the defeat near Rostov had spread by Sunday, 30 November. The myth about the invincibility of Hitler’s army has been dispelled once and for all. At factories workers are openly holding discussions and saying: “We will never win this war, so why continue to make sacrifices in vain?” In general, successes by the Soviet Union are very heartening to everyone. Workers’ confidence in their own strength has already grown, which is being reflected in increasingly conscious speeches at factories. They are already beginning to compare today’s situation with the situation in 1918, not only because of shortages of goods, but also because of the mounting war fatigue among the population and the soldiers and because of the growing revolutionary mood. Letters from the Eastern Front are full of demands for peace. 111

111 RGASPI, f. 495, op. 184, d. 2, incoming 1942 from Holland, sent 18 December 1941, received 30 December.