740.0011 European War 1939/24528: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received September 28—5:04 p.m.]
880. I have just received with Foreign Minister Witting’s card the following memorandum in English dated today.
“In a conversation with the President of the Republic on the 25th instant the American Minister suggested that a statement should be [Page 84] made from the Finnish side which would serve to clarify the intentions of Finland.
The same day, just before this conversation took place, the Prime Minister of Finland made in the Parliament a statement which, as far as it concerns foreign policy, seems to correspond with the desire thus expressed on behalf of the United States of America. This part of Prime Minister’s statement is enclosed herewith.
The Finnish Government can, however, not at all understand the mentioning of the ‘numerous instances of provocation of the American Government by the Finnish Government’. This, or that there should be any reason for the allegation, that Finland is being subjected to foreign pressure, must be definitely rejected. It should also be remembered that when the acts of aggression of the Soviet Union against Finland took place in 1941, the United States of America were not at war with any power, nor an ally of the USSR, but gave in many ways assistance to Finland.”
Enclosed with foregoing memorandum also in English is an “extract from Mr. Rangell’s speech September 25, 1942” reading as follows:
“The clearly defined line of our foreign policy is determined by our defensive struggle. A logical consequence of the nature of our struggle is the fact, that no changes have occurred in the attitude underlying our foreign policy since the day, 15 months ago, when the Soviet Union, by her acts of aggression, forced us to continue the war into which she had drawn us through her aggression in the autumn of 1939.32 Finland is fighting her war against the Soviet Union side by side with Germany, to which we are linked by brotherhood in arms.
The unambiguous attitude, which we have adopted, with the purpose of securing the safety of our country, has been in so many different connections explained to the Governments of the foreign powers, that there should be no reason for various interpretations. I had on November 29, last year, the honor to define this attitude in a communication given by the Government to the Parliament. This was unanimously accepted by the Parliament and remains unaltered in force as a definition of our foreign policy. However, certain circles abroad have, for some reason, wished to draw arbitrary conclusions about the attitude of the Finnish Government. Quite recently one has wished to interpret a statement, which was made by one of our envoys to the press of the country where he is stationed,33 in a manner quite different from the real attitude of the Finnish Government, although the statement was based on the Government’s communication just mentioned.
[Page 85]The changes in the attitude to Finland of certain foreign powers, which occurred after the first phase of our defensive war, apparent from the interpretations I have just referred to, and of which the declaration of war by Great Britain in December 194134 was the most conspicuous example, have not induced us to adopt a different line of foreign policy than the one which according to the unanimous conviction of our people, has been dictated by our country’s vital interests.”
- See Foreign Relations, 1939, vol. i, pp. 952 ff.↩
- The Department had informed Minister Schoenfeld in telegram No. 192 of September 24, 8 p.m., that the Minister of Finland had given three hand-outs, issued without instruction from the Foreign Office, to press representatives in Washington on September 19, 1942. One of these, on the political and military situations in Finland, which had apparently been misinterpreted, had declared that Finland “wants to cease fighting as soon as the threat to her existence has been averted and guarantees have been obtained for her lasting security.” The Department had considered that this statement consisted in general “of a rehash” of remarks already made in the past by Finnish spokesmen. (740.0011 European War 1939/24404) Procopé was himself much exercised by the misinterpretation of his press hand-outs and he made extended explanations and descriptions of the circumstances to Mr. L. Randolph Higgs, of the Division of European Affairs, on September 22, 1942, and to Under Secretary of State Welles on September 23 and again on September 28.↩
- The British declaration of war on Finland came on December 7, 1941; see telegram No. 256, December 5, 1941, to the Minister in Finland, Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, p. 114.↩