Memorandum from Joseph P. Walshe to Eamon de Valera (Dublin)
'The German Minister: his view on the present state of the War'
(Secret)

I saw the German Minister to-day at 12.30. It was the first time I had seen him since July. After discussing the new situation in Italy about which he was optimistic – at least in regard to the immediate future – he said that it was quite clear that Germany could not continue to fight three empires like Britain, Russia and America. Russian power was apparently so great that the Russians now felt themselves justified in planning for the control of the European Continent. Unless the Western Allies recognised what a menace Russia was to European civilisation, they would undoubtedly continue the war against Germany and, by so doing, would achieve a victory for Russia. The only way he could see out of the situation was recognition by the Western Allies that Russia had already become a menace to their civilisation and would be a far greater menace in the future. He could not help believing that, at some later stage of the war, these Allies would decide to cast in their lot with Germany on conditions, no doubt, against the enemy of European and American civilisation.