740.0011 European War 1939/12065: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 3:05 p.m.]
189. In conversation with Prime Minister Rangell this morning I inquired whether in view of official statement issued at Moscow yesterday91 regarding Soviet-German relations Finnish Government [Page 35] now proposed to relax its military precautions. He answered that Russian official statement did not entirely clarify situation and it still remained to be seen whether recent agitation regarding relations of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with Germany was wholly unwarranted. I gathered that Finnish precautions would be at least continued if not intensified.
Prime Minister expressed opinion that recent release by Russians of portion of grain shipments stipulated under last year’s trade agreement was definitely political gesture as suggested in my telegram No. 179, June 10,92 and was connected with development of Soviet-German relations. Rangell referred to Finnish Government’s anxiety regarding food supplies, expressing renewed gratitude for American help and hope that public opinion in United States would understand Finland’s present political position, pointing out that Finnish-German relations were governed by proximity of Finland to Russia, this country’s relative remoteness from Germany and consequent difficulty of exercising German control here permanently, similarity of Finnish way of life with that of western democracies and non-acceptance by Finnish people of social and political ideas now current in Germany. Prime Minister evidently desired me again to make this clear to you though he did not so request.
Rangell indicated plainly that Finnish Government had sought for many months to secure from Swedish Government clear formulation of latter’s intention to support Finland in case of renewed hostilities with Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, which he believed would go a long way to deter Russians from renewed assault on this country. This effort had not been successful, Swedes preferring to retain their freedom of action and not to commit themselves as desired by the Finns. This statement of Prime Minister’s is the first clear indication I have had since former Foreign Minister Tanner’s93 suggestion last year regarding defensive alliance with Sweden94 that there has been no abandonment here of hope of full Swedish cooperation.
The Prime Minister deplored high cost of current defense preparations including recent calling up of reservists as well as effect of these measures upon production in this country.
In general I gained impression that notwithstanding relaxation of tension resulting from yesterday’s announcement by Soviet Government, Finnish Government is not convinced that danger of its [Page 36] involvement is past, especially since Rangell also referred again to long standing Russian aspiration to reach Atlantic at Narvik at expense of Finland, Sweden and Norway.
- See telegram No. 1144, June 14, from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, p. 148.↩
- Not printed.↩
- Väinö A. Tanner, who became Minister of Public Welfare for an interval in the National Government formed by Risto H. Ryti on March 27, 1940.↩
- Reports concerning this proposed alliance, and of the objections of the Soviet Union to it, were received from the Ambassador in the Soviet Union in telegrams No. 315, March 20, 1940, and No. 330, March 26, 1940, as well as from the Minister in Sweden in telegrams No. 152, March 28, 1940, and No. 164, April 4, 1940; Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. i, pp. 318, 320, 323, and 325, respectively.↩