740.00112 European War 1939/8–1444: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Sweden (Johnson)
1619. Today the Swedish Minister29 called on Mr. Dunn30 to discuss with him the various conversations which you have recently had with Boheman and other Swedish officials, the tenor of which had been given orally to Amino ff31 a few days ago by another officer of the Department. Boström said that we seemed to be making very strong demands of Sweden and called attention to the fact that Sweden had already taken some steps to withhold aid from Germany by terminating Swedish sailings to some German ports. He was told that the aid which Sweden might contribute towards shortening the war might be graded as “some, more and most”; that terminating Swedish sailings to a few German ports might be characterized as “some” help; that what this Government expected however was the “most” cooperation from Sweden. Boström observed that that could only mean terminating all Swedish trade with Germany. He was told that this was precisely what the American Government desired.
Boström then observed that Sweden had to exercise caution in taking steps which might compromise its policy of neutrality because of the possible effect of such a precedent upon Sweden’s position in the next war. Mr. Dunn replied that we were bending every effort to crush such peace breakers as Germany and Japan and upon their defeat to assist in bringing about the creation of an international security organization without which there could be little hope for peace in the future; that if such an organization were not established it would be wishful thinking to suppose that the development of modern means of warfare would permit any nation in the future to remain neutral should some powerful aggressor nation arise and set out to dominate the world.
Sent to Stockholm, repeated to London as Department’s 6444.