Extract from a letter from Count Gerald O'Kelly de Gallagh to Frederick H. Boland (Dublin)

[matter omitted]

In my last minute, after setting out the debit side of the balance sheet, I referred to certain imponderables which I could not gauge. I believe that the greatest of the imponderables is just Stalin's desire or otherwise for immediate war. Everything points to such a desire. The initiative is with him and it appears to me that he can start war just where and when he chooses. And yet, the fact that he has not done so up to now, when it is obvious that he is master of choosing his hour, may be a ray of hope - though but a very faint one.

I usually consider myself an optimist, but I admit that it is hard to see grounds for optimism at the present juncture. Western Europe is, to transpose Metternich's¹ dictum, for all effective purposes but 'a geographical expression'. The forces arrayed against it have overwhelming numerical superiority, backed by unity of command, blind fanaticism and apparently all the powers of Darkness, whereas Western Europe fights in dispersed order, with no arms, no cohesion, no faith in itself, mighty little faith in God, and a fast-waning faith in the U.S.A. - the only world-power capable of standing up to Communism, if, itself, efficiently led. That leadership seems likely to fail at the crucial moment. I may be entirely wrong, and I devoutly hope I am, but I see the sacking of Rome by the Scythians as a probability before the Holy Year is out. If Mr. Stalin would like to do it, nothing but the direct intervention of the Almighty can stop it.