740.00112 European War 1939/8999: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
Washington, July 31,
1943—midnight.
4629. Repeated to Stockholm as our No. 839. Please discuss the following with the British:
- I.
- Having now received word that the Swedes have actually informed the Germans the transit traffic can no longer be permitted (Stockholm’s 2367, July 30 to us) we deem it necessary to develop as soon as possible a definite position vis-à-vis the present status of the London negotiations (your 4959, July 2982)
- II.
- We recognize that the Swedes are now actively dealing with a matter—the stopping of the transit traffic—which they deem rightly or wrongly of crucial importance to the physical safety of Sweden and that until they have found a solution to this problem no economic or political threats on our part are likely to have any decisively favorable effect; and hence that there is nothing to be gained in trying to force them into an economic agreement which we are confident they won’t actually sign before they feel reasonably satisfied that the Germans are not going to attack them over the transit traffic affair.
- III.
- We believe the Swedes feel as we do that on a showdown the Germans will not attack but will either (a) make sharp economic reprisals possibly by cutting off the Göteborg traffic or (b) accept the Swedish action quietly. As the stopping of the Göteborg traffic is a distinct possibility and in the event of which the Swedes would be prevented almost entirely from obtaining the economic benefits of the London declarations and would thus become more dependent economically upon trade with the Axis, it would not seem unlikely that, in the absence of some early action by us having the effect to the greatest possible degree of morally binding them to the provisions of those declarations, the Swedes may, to be free to trade with the Axis, take the position that they had unilaterally undertaken to put the declarations into effect without awaiting formal signature but [Page 797] that we by our failure to take corresponding action relieved them of any binding obligation to continue their undertakings.
- IV.
- Accordingly we feel the proposed declaration by the United States and United Kingdom Governments mentioned in last paragraph your 4959, July 29, should contain a statement to the effect that upon the basis of our understanding that the Swedes will fully live up as from now on to all the London declarations, et cetera, and will adopt no course of action which would have the effect of preventing full compliance on their part with the terms thereof, we for our part will do likewise; but that, if before formally signing the declarations at a later date the Swedes ask for amendments other than in form or if they unduly delay signing the declarations, we desire to put them on notice that we may also ask for substantial amendments which, it is fully anticipated, would result on balance in our position becoming less favorable to Sweden than the declarations, et cetera, as they now stand.
Hull
- Not printed.↩