740.0011 European War 1939/16363a: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld)
226. In reply to a question at my press conference today concerning American relations with Finland, I said that with regard to our attitude toward Finland at this time I need hardly go into the history of the conspicuously warm and friendly relations which have heretofore existed between us and the Finns; but it is precisely because of these relations that we are so concerned at certain aspects of recently manifested Finnish policy. This policy which appears to entail the continuation of offensive military operations more or less deep in Soviet territory, thwarts to a serious extent our policy of assisting those countries resisting the threat of Hitler domination without, in our opinion, contributing to the ultimate security of Finland itself. In fact, we believe this policy, if continued, will contribute toward the bringing of the war nearer to the United States and will end in the complete subjugation of Finland to the whims of Hitler as Finland comes more and more under Nazi dictation.
Therefore, in the belief that we were thereby acting not only in our own interest but also in the interest of Finland, the Finnish Minister in Washington was apprised on August 18 that we had learned that the Soviet Union was prepared to discuss a Finnish-Soviet peace on the basis of territorial compensation to Finland. No spokesman of the Finnish Government either here or in Helsinki has subsequently indicated any desire to investigate this possibility to settle by peaceful [Page 89] negotiation any outstanding just grievances which Finland had against the Soviet Union. On the contrary, Finnish military forces have continued the offensive against Soviet territory. We have realized that there may be some difficulties for Finland in making peace with the Soviet Union at this time because of German pressure; but this cannot alter the fact that if recent Finnish policy is continued, it must be because the Finnish Government is no longer a free agent of the Finnish people or because this policy is the free choice of the Finnish Government and people with the full knowledge that it entails a serious threat to the security of the independence of all anti-Nazi countries of the world, including Finland.
I added that we have frequently acquainted the Finnish Government through both the Finnish Minister here and the American Minister in Helsinki with our concern in regard to these matters. Because of the friendly relations which we have always had with Finland, we have up to now, however, refrained from drawing any final conclusions from the present policy of the Finnish Government in the hope that similar relations can be maintained in the future. A short time ago we instructed our Minister in Helsinki to inform the Finnish Government that if Finland desires to maintain our friendship now and later, satisfactory evidence must be forthcoming that it is the intention of the Government of Finland to discontinue promptly offensive military operations against Soviet territory and that to that end Finnish troops will in principle be promptly withdrawn. At the same time, the American Minister reminded the Finnish Government of the information which we had given to its Minister here regarding the possibilities for bringing about a peaceful settlement of outstanding Finnish-Soviet difficulties.
I concluded that we are now awaiting the Finnish Government’s reply.
This statement should be given all possible publicity in Finland and should be repeated to the Legation at Stockholm for transmission to the Swedish Government for its information.