Office of the Historian

740.00119 European War 1939/1348a: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Chargé in Finland (McClintock)

Washington, March 19, 1943—6 p.m.

43. Please call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and remind him that we have received no communication from him on the subject of whether Finland intends to continue its policy of collaboration with the enemies of the United States. You should say that the urgency and importance of the matter impel me to inquire if the Finnish Government is disposed to accept the good offices of the United States Government in establishing contact between the Finnish Government and the Soviet Government with a view to the initiation of discussions between them for the cessation of hostilities and the restoration of peace. You may say to Dr. Ramsay that I feel the moment is appropriate for the Finnish Government to give me a definite indication of its view on this proposal for the reason that with the establishment of the new Cabinet in Helsinki we consider it necessary to know, without equivocation, whether the Finnish Government places enough reliance on the goodwill of the American Government and people for the people of Finland to warrant our rendering them this assistance. You may add that I am convinced that the Finnish Government should give careful consideration to the possibility that no [Page 251] further opportunity is likely to arise for such a. display of interest and goodwill in behalf of the Finnish people if my present proposal does not commend itself to the Finnish authorities. If Dr. Ramsay inquires what reason we may have to think that the Soviet Government is prepared to institute direct conversations with the Finnish Government at the instance of the United States you may say to him that we have no reason to expect that the Soviet Government would not be willing to examine such a proposal if brought forward by the United States. You should make it clear as above indicated that the present proposal has reference only to bringing the two Governments into contact in the hope that the United States can contribute thereby to the restoration of peaceful relations between the two peoples.

Please tell the Foreign Minister that we should like to have his Government’s reply at the earliest possible date.28

Hull
  1. In telegram No. 156, March 19, to the Ambassador in the Soviet Union, the Department informed the Ambassador of the substance of this message to the Finnish Foreign Minister and instructed Admiral Standley to tell Molotov about the American action (740.00119 EW 1939/1348a (suppl.)).↩