740.0011 European War 1939/26657
Memorandum of Conversation, by Mr. L. Randolph Higgs of the Division of European Affairs
Mr. Boheman69 dropped in late this afternoon to say goodbye before his departure for New York to-night. I was reading at the time Stockholm’s telegram no. 3341 [3441] of December 3,70 a white of which is attached,71 reporting Swedish press comment on Finland.
I showed this telegram to Mr. Boheman and asked him whether he thought it represented the true Swedish opinion on this matter, particularly the statement,
“If Finland were again face Russia alone, it would be Sweden’s duty interest aid Finland greater extent than hitherto.”
Mr. Boheman after commenting that the Svensha Dagbladet had always taken a very strong stand in support of Finland, said that under no circumstances which he could now foresee would Sweden give armed assistance to Finland against Russia. I replied that that had been my understanding but that in all of our conversations with the Finns, they showed great confidence that if Germany should be defeated and Finland were faced with the threat of imminent invasion by the Soviet Union, Sweden would give Finland full military support against Russia. I went on to say that if the situation was indeed as he described it, I thought it unfortunate that the Finns were allowed by the Swedes to continue under this misapprehension; as they might, if clearly informed of the Swedish position find it necessary to pursue a different policy. Mr. Boheman agreed fully that this should be done and said that he would discuss the matter with the Swedish cabinet upon his return to Stockholm, especially as regards the Swedish press and their misleading statements.
Mr. Boheman … said that rudimentary caution should have prevented the Finns from making any claim to Soviet Karelia when they did. He thought Finland should have announced that it intended only to regain its 1939 frontiers and to stop there. He said that such an announcement would have maintained Finland’s moral position in the eyes of world opinion and would not have prevented Finland from taking a “little Russian territory” later if indeed Russia were completely smashed by the Germans. I recalled to him that the Secretary, [Page 103] as had been made public by the Department, had urged in the strongest terms upon Minister Procopé that Finland declare that it intended only to regain its lost territory and stop there, but without avail.
Mr. Boheman said that it had been practically impossible for the Swedish Government to give the Finnish Government any advice about keeping its collaboration with the Germans to a minimum and making peace with the Soviet Union. He said that any such intimations were immediately reported by Finnish Foreign Minister Witting to the Germans who “took the matter up with the Swedish Government.” Mr. Boheman said that as long as Mr. Witting remained Foreign Minister, it was practically impossible for the Swedish Government to offer any suggestions along these lines to Finland.
I gave Mr. Boheman our views on Witting and told him that we had already authorized our Chargé d’Affaires in Sweden to pass them on to Mr. Soderbolen [Söderblom] in the Swedish Foreign Office.
Mr. Boheman gave me the impression of being completely in sympathy with our policy toward Finland. He said that he would be very glad to give Mr. Herschel Johnson,72 from time to time, any views which the Swedish Government might have on Finland and he would be happy if we would transmit our views on the subject to him through Mr. Johnson whenever we thought appropriate. I thanked him for his offer of cooperation and said that we undoubtedly would avail ourselves of it whenever it seemed feasible to do so.