740.0011 European War 1939/24515: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received 8:25 p.m.]
866. President Ryti received me at 4 o’clock this afternoon when I spoke to him in sense your 191, September 24, and handed him memorandum closely paraphrasing your instruction. President at once said with vehemence that Finland’s policy remained absolutely unchanged in its fight for its existence which United States was apparently willing to see destroyed by Russians.
He denied that any German pressure had been exercised or was now being used on Finland but refrained from saying that Finland would not participate in new military operations. He was struck most unfavorably by reference to provocation on part of Finnish Government and asserted that if any provocation or any pressure was being exerted it came from United States and not from Finland.
President repeated official theme of purely defensive character of present hostilities with USSR outlining again events preceding Finland’s armed resistance in June last year. When I said that Hitler’s announcement of attack on Soviet Union apparently preceded Russian acts of hostility on Finland and that at that time Hitler had referred to Finland as Germany’s ally which implied prior understanding President said Finland could no more accept responsibility for Hitler’s statement at that time than it accepted responsibility for equally mistaken statements made by other foreign statesmen including President Roosevelt regarding Finnish situation.
President calmed down after his first intense reaction and repeated what he had said before as to total disregard by great powers of justice [Page 83] for small nations when latter stood in their path which had made him absolutely cynical regarding policy of great powers including United States.
President cited as example of such injustice on our part our action in taking over Finnish ships without compensation and he reverted to British blockade policy against Finland in June 1940 as illustration.
Finland was determined he said to follow its present policy at any cost and neither we nor anyone else could alter it because Finland knew Russians and we did not as our existence was not at stake and existence of Finnish people as physical entirety [entity?] is in jeopardy. Bolshevik power must be destroyed and President was thankful that German action against Russians was helping to preserve Finland. He was confident United States and Britain could not rely on Bolshevik leaders who deserved absolutely no faith. American people were being misled by propaganda regarding Finland as well as other matters and indeed people in big countries were more susceptible to propaganda than those in small countries like Finland where pace of life made it possible for people to think for themselves.
When I asked President whether he thought Finnish Government would make public statement as I had suggested under your instruction President expressed opinion that as there had been no change in situation no further statement seemed necessary at this time.
When I intimated regret at conclusion of conversation that my message may not have been pleasing President said facetiously that if any further messages I had to convey were no less pleasing he would be thankful. Saying that his personal esteem for me had not been lessened and would not be by any future events President gave me impression that further initiatives on our part would not surprise him.
Department will gather from foregoing that adamant Finnish conviction of rightness of its course is fully represented by President Ryti. When I asked him whether Marshal Mannerheim shared his views he answered in affirmative and said Finnish leaders were unanimous.