740.0011 European War 1939/13724
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
The Minister of Finland called to see me this afternoon with the instruction from his Government to inform the United States Government that Finland has now been forced, in her own defense and as a result of attack from Russia, to undertake defensive military measures.1 The Minister was further instructed to state that the Finnish Government over a period of two days, as a result of Russian attacks by sea and from the air, had requested an explanation from the Russian Government and a disavowal of those responsible for these attacks. No reply had been received from the Russian Government.
The Minister added that he wished me to know that his Government’s policy in his own opinion was one of a determination to remain neutral as between Great Britain and Germany. When I asked the Minister if he was instructed to say this to me he said that he was not but that he would request his Government to authorize him to make this statement to me officially.
- The Minister in Finland, in telegram No. 232, June 26, reported on the radio address by President Ryti of that evening in which he explained the necessity for Finland to defend itself against renewed Soviet aggression. Excerpts from this speech are in Finland Reveals Her Secret Documents on Soviet Policy, March 1940–June 1941, pp. 99–105.↩