740.0011 European War 1939/17092: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State 91
[Received 8:02 p.m.]
644. My telegram No. 636, December 3.92 Our Military Attaché today was invited to lunch by Colonel Aminoff, a retired Finnish officer well-known for his pro-British sympathies, together with Colonel Rosenbroijer, the liaison officer of the Finnish G–2 with the Military Attachés, and General Kekoni, who described himself as the liaison officer between Field Marshal Mannerheim and the Government.
These officers were unanimous in telling Colonel Huthsteiner that it was not possible for Finland immediately to suspend hostilities although they emphasized that the duration of the war would not be long. General Kekoni in particular stressed his belief that the British ultimatum was for “political motives” and that he much doubted first [sic] that England would be Finland’s enemy at the peace conference after the war. Colonel Aminoff reinforced these views but privately admitted to our Military Attaché that the Finnish Army and people were almost exhausted and that the war because of this fact could not go on much longer. He said however very significantly that any further offensive in Finland could only be at “German dictation” and that a minimum number of Finnish troops would be involved.