740.0011 European War 1939/20356: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received March 16—2:52 p.m.]
218. Former Estonian Minister Varma71 informed me today that Germans about a month ago brought pressure to bear on Finns to secure withdrawal of American Legation from Finland. Representations were made both to Finnish Minister at Berlin72 and to Foreign Office here. Representations were oral and informal and Finns answered that severance of relations with United States would cause unfortunate reaction among masses of Finnish people and hence was not considered for present.
Varma adds that Foreign Office officials now express regret Finnish Government did not take stronger line in opposing German pressure [Page 52] for breaking off relations with Britain last summer. Gripenberg73 lately Finnish Minister at London has made his views on subject known here and both he and former Counselor of Finnish Legation at London74 have been frank in deprecating wisdom of Finnish policy in relation to Britain. This Varma says has had influence on Finnish Government’s attitude toward German pressure with reference to United States apart from accepted fact that public opinion here is definitely opposed to rupture with United States.