859B.01/155
The Canadian Legation to the Department of State
Aide-Mémoire
One. The Canadian Government has been urgently considering Greenland’s position and that of its inhabitants because of Germany’s aggression against Denmark. The three aspects of the problem which, in the Canadian Government’s view, are of great importance not only to Canada but to other countries are as follows:
- First. There is the danger of there being established in Greenland a base for German submarines, surface or other raiders;
- Second. There is also the danger of attack by German landing parties at Ivigtut on the unique cryolite mines there. The result of any interference with the output of this strategically vulnerable property would be a serious disruption in the production of aluminum, a large proportion of which is manufactured in the United States and Canada.
- Third. Humanitarian grounds make it necessary that the inhabitants of Greenland who are cut off from markets for exports and from their normal source of supply be provided for.
Two. The Canadian Government is considering, as a result of this situation, whether it would be necessary to send to Greenland a small [Page 358] defence force to guard against the above mentioned dangers and to cooperate with the local administrations in North and South Greenland in providing for the needs of the native inhabitants. These measures would not be intended as affording the basis for any future claim to acquire a titular sovereignty but would be purely of an emergency character. For the duration of the war the Canadian Government would be acting as trustee for a restored and independent Danish Government and full accounting would be maintained for that Government.