My telegram 108.¹ As far as I can learn movement was not very widespread amongst officers. One explanation I have, however, from fairly well-informed non-party source is that plot was organised for purely military reasons by small group of officers in or close to headquarters who blame Hitler for having withdrawn troops too late on several occasions especially in Stalingrad, Crimea, and Odessa with a loss of several hundred thousand men and holding that if withdrawals had been in time and Russian Front long since shortened as they wanted, Eastern line would now be so strong as to exclude all real danger from that side. This informant believes that movement is confined to small number of staff officers. Difficult to believe as stated officially here that authors were inspired by foreign power even though Goebbels July 26th said explosive used was British. The Government has, of course, not said movement was widespread. A party member of Propaganda Military told me episode is being deliberately used as pretext to introduce various changes, nett result of which would be to make party still more identical with State. The party press and spokesmen have been talking of rectifying omissions and removing anomalies, Ley's² references to aristocracy in his speech 22nd July have not been reproduced in press: many of the aristocracy are, of course, party members. As a class it is not organised and although it may not generally accept all national socialist tenets it is certainly not unpatriotic.

I think it safer to assume that episode will not in itself lead to weakening on fronts. The military situation in the East looks, of course, very serious. The press of yesterday, Friday, expressly stated that defence is being organised to West of present front so as to give time to bring up forces necessary to hold new line. Different sources affirm that Hitler will never agree to arrangement with Russia. If this is so, it may have played unlimited role in the plot.