740.00112 European War 1939/8–1644: Telegram
The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State
[Received August 167:30 p.m.]
3123. Reference my 3106, August 15, 6 p.m. (895 to London).34 This afternoon I talked with Mr. Assarsson, Acting Secretary General of the Foreign Office. During the course of the conversation I told him in detail of the contents of paragraph 4, Department’s 1578, August 8, warning that, in my opinion, unless Sweden of her own volition took action I was confident she would be presented with formal demands and that if those demands were then rejected the reaction was certain to be sharp. Mr. Assarsson expressed himself as being personally in favor of immediate recall of all Swedish ships in German trade and stated that in a long interview he had this morning with Prime Minister Hansson he had urgently presented this view. Mr. Assarsson gave the genuine impression that he strongly favors immediate and vigorous action.
I reiterated many of the arguments which are familiar to the Department and which it is hardly necessary to repeat but emphasized again and again that I thought it was in Sweden’s highest interest to act immediately to withdraw all her shipping from German trade and not to await further military developments of any nature in any area. I also drew attention to the considerations treated in the Department’s 6368, August 11 to London (repeated to Stockholm as 329, August 14, 1 p.m.) and urged upon Assarsson that he make every endeavor to have ships which left Swedish waters prior to withdrawal of insurance for North German seaports ordered to return. I commented that it hardly seemed necessary to point out prime necessity for Swedish ships not being seized by Germany in an emergency which might at any moment arise and that every effort should be made to have all shipping withdrawn before such situation arose. I also asked him if Swedish shipping authorities had given appropriate instructions to captains and crews of Swedish ships for action to prevent their ships falling into German hands, suggesting that if necessary they be scuttled. Assarsson said he thought there might be practical difficulties in way of that suggested action but promised to take up again with Prime Minister at once the various points I have raised and urge immediate action.
My 900 repeats this to London.
- Not printed.↩