Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1941, General, The Soviet Union, Volume I

741.60D/23

Memorandum of Conversation, by the Under Secretary of State (Welles)

[Washington,] June 14, 1941.

The British Ambassador⁸⁸ called to see me this morning at his request.

The Ambassador left with me an aide-mémoire which is attached herewith⁸⁹ covering the instructions sent by the British Foreign Office to the British Minister in Helsinki covering the policy which the British Government would pursue towards Finland should Finland cooperate with Germany.⁹⁰ The aide-mémoire likewise contained the expression of the hope that the United States Government would support through the American Minister in Helsinki the representations to be made by the British Minister.

I said to the Ambassador that the views of this Government with regard to this general subject had already been made fully known to the Government of Finland.

S[umner] W[elles]

88. Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, Viscount Halifax.
89. Not printed.
90. The British Government expressed the hope that Finland would refrain as far as possible from any active assistance to Germany, otherwise “she will forfeit British support and sympathy and we shall have to subject her to every form of economic pressure in our power.” See also telegram No. 2435, June 13, from the Chargé in the United Kingdom, p. 170.