740.00111 European War 1939/713: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 7—4:27 p.m.]
2457. Boheman asked me to see him this afternoon to convey following information which he felt would be of interest to Department:
When broaching with Germans Swedish decision to stop German transit traffic Swedes endeavored to include transit of oil but on this point met with stubborn resistance from Germans. Boheman said that although it had been made clear to Germans that Sweden in any case would stop transit traffic, they desired if possible to do so in agreement with Germans. It became evident that if oil were insisted upon their action could not be taken by agreement with Germans. It was therefore decided to drop oil and following declaration was made to Germans—that Sweden reserved right to take up at a later time question of stopping oil traffic and that in any case it must stop definitely by October 1. Boheman pointed out that this was date which had been previously indicated to us as objective to which his Government was working but that notice had been given to Germans in categorical form that oil traffic must cease at least by that date. In refusing to include oil in present agreement which was subject of joint communiqué reported in my 2441, August 5, 7 p.m.,83 Germans had stated that if Sweden took unilateral action [Page 798] about oil they would have to take necessary counter-measures. Boheman said this could only have meant probable stoppage of Göteborg traffic and certainly stoppage of all Rumanian oil transited through Germany. He does not feel that this latter would have caused Sweden very much inconvenience as it is not likely that much oil will be coming from Rumania if Allies keep up their present rate of destruction of Rumanian oil fields. He said that his Government was not in least disturbed by prospect of having transit for oil from Rumania stopped by Germans. They did feel it important, however, to effect cessation of traffic by joint agreement with Germany and he believes that by having done so they have saved Göteborg traffic. He also expressed an opinion, which he said was a purely personal feeling on his part, that judging from way Swedish notification was handled in Germany Hitler is no longer functioning. He doubts that matter was even put up to him.
Foreign Office has been subject of much favorable comment in today’s press for its skillful handling of this question with Germany which has effected result desired without any damage to Sweden’s own position.
Boheman especially requested that information regarding Sweden’s announcement to Germans that oil traffic must cease by October 1, be treated with utmost secrecy. He is still critical of premature leakages in London regarding Swedish intentions to cut off transit traffic and reports in this morning’s press from London to effect that “official circles are querying what Sweden has done about oil transits”. These leakages of information in London can do no possible good, are embarrassing for Sweden and have been resented here.
During our conversation, I took occasion to mention to Boheman report in irresponsible Communist paper Arbetaren of July 10 (my telegram 2207, July 1584) regarding ordinary civilian visa traffic between Germany and Norway. Boheman characterized story as wholesale fabrication. He said that Germans had been explicitly told during recent negotiation for stopping transit traffic that there could be no increase whatever in visa travel between Germany and Norway as result of curtailment military traffic. He did not know exactly how many of these visa cases there are but thought there were not more than 100 a day including passages in both directions. Sweden has always, he said, in regard to this individual visa travel insisted with Germans that each case must be decided on an individual basis. There have been no en bloc grantings of these visas and Swedish consuls have instructions in this sense. War Department may be interested in this paragraph as Colonel Waddell85 received this morning [Page 799] an inquiry from General Strong86 regarding report in my 2207, July 15.
Repeated to London as my 433.