740.0011 European War 1939/13622: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 3—2:50 a.m.]
329. Reference my telegram 328.17 Following is text official communiqué published all papers Helsinki today:
“British Government gave publicity to its reply to Finnish Government’s proposal July 28 regarding arrangement of relations between the two countries before that reply through official channels had come to knowledge of Finnish Government. In so doing British Government acted differently from Finnish Government which in presenting its proposal on July 28 did not deem it appropriate to publicize its contents before British Government had opportunity to define stand regarding Finland’s proposal. Finnish Government gave publicity to contents its proposal only after British radio had broadcast matter in misleading form. Moreover, radio broadcasts completely disregarded most fundamental of motives in proposal made by Finnish Government which relates to detrimental effects to Finland of military alliance and assistance relations between Britain and Russia, motive which London press—for example Daily Herald [and] Times—in statements concerning case has in an especially strong manner substituted.
Only after publication of British reply did Minister Vereker at noon on August 1 officially bring it to knowledge of Foreign Minister Witting.
Regarding factual contents of reply they at first glance give cause for following remarks:
1. British Government’s communication to House of Lords to which reference is made and which was presented July 22 by Lord Snell18 reveals as matter of fact two different standpoints. On one hand Lord Snell states that after careful consideration by British Government, it had decided to maintain these relations at present but on other hand, he stated that this decision might be changed at any moment. It is matter of taste which part of statement is considering whether;19 in no case did it lay strong foundation for continued maintenance of normal relations.
2. British Government justifies subjunction [subjection] of Finland to complete trade and shipping blockade by stating that Britain decided to take such action because Germans used this territory as base for military operations.
[Page 55]It must be noted however that this unjustified blockade was in fact put into force already on June 14 last when military operations between Germany and Russia had not yet begun, to say nothing of military operations on Finnish frontier.
It is true that already at time mentioned there were German troops in Finland whose presence here was based on transit agreement between Finland and Germany in effect since autumn 1940 but this agreement had not during previous months been cause for complete prevention Petsamo traffic by England. Finland had given England valid guarantees that commodities imported into Finland through Petsamo would be used exclusively for Finland’s own needs and British reply does not maintain that Finland had broken its pledges in this regard. Let it be emphasized England already since July 1940 in many ways hampered Petsamo traffic and thus put difficulties in way of Finland’s food importation. These hindering measures were made more and more stringent until they finally led to complete blockade.
When British Government states that blockade was not directed against Finnish people it must be noted that it is precisely Finnish people who will suffer from blockade since it causes lack foodstuffs [and] other commodities. If by alluding to Finnish people is desired say that England by restricting Finnish people’s living conditions wishes exercise pressure on Finnish Government, matter will not appear in better light.
3. In its reply—as in information published with regard to proposal made by Finnish Government on July 28—British Government completely ignores chief motive for Finnish proposal, namely fact that England made military alliance with Finland’s enemy and bound itself assist that enemy in every way.
As evidence of conclusions to be drawn from such an exigency mention may be made of article published by British Daily Herald on July 30 in which among other things it is stated ‘official reply to question why we did not break off relations with Finland immediately upon Finland allying itself with Germany when that country attacked Russia but waited until Finns did it, is that we find it unpleasant to break off long-standing friendly relations. This is only polite nonsense. British Foreign Ministry is not as simple as it sometimes makes believe for sake of politeness. Truth of matter is that the British Helsinki Legation functioned as a very useful observation point and source of information. We kept it open as long as possible. Russians well understood the reason.’
4. British reply does not allude to bombing of Petsamo by British plane July 30, which caused damage Finnish property and sacrifices among Finnish civilian population. In discussing relations between two countries it would have been to point to have received British explanation of this. Mention cannot be omitted of fact that bombing was executed before England had given its reply to proposal made through diplomatic channels by Finland regarding relations between two countries. Attention is further drawn to fact that England had sent a bombplane carrier to proximity of Finnish territorial waters already before 28 of July ultimo when previously mentioned proposal by Finland was made, which fact indicates that bombing of Liinahamari was result of military preparations which Britain had undertaken before date last mentioned.”
- Dated August 2, not printed; it reported that the British Minister had expressed to the Finnish Foreign Minister his personal feeling that the British air attack on Petsamo, July 30, was a tragic mistake and that he had requested from the British Government that apology and indemnity be made; the telegram also reported that the Finnish Minister in the United Kingdom had been instructed to sever relations, and that an official communiqué in the Finnish morning papers confirmed the fact that diplomatic relations with England had formally been broken off. (740.0011 European War 1939/13621)↩
- Henry Snell, Baron of Plumstead, Deputy Leader of the House of Lords since 1940.↩
- Text obviously garbled.↩