740.00112 European War 1939/1299
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Assistant Secretary of State (Berle)
The Norwegian Minister came in today, at his request. He is increasingly disturbed over the situation in Norway. Following the laying of the British mine fields, he considered it certain that there would be repercussions. His government had rumors of German warships sailing into Norwegian waters; and even German troops proceeding to make a landing. The insistence that the Norwegians fire on British vessels violating their neutrality was, of course, a plain invitation to start the war at once. He repeated his request to know whether we could do anything.
I could only say that the difficulties continued to be obvious; that we were closely watching the situation; but that it seemed to me that the situation turned now apparently on strictly realist considerations.
I added that we were in process of reconsidering our “combat areas”, naturally in the hope that there could be continued commerce with Norway.
The Minister left with me the formal statement issued by his government, which is attached.10
- For text of statement, see the London Times, April 9, 1940, p. 8.↩