740.00112 European War 1939/9–544
The Secretary of State and the British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (Eden) to the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs (Günther)64
Joint Message for His Excellency the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs from His Majesty’s Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and the Secretary of State of the United States of America
Rapid changes during recent weeks both in the military and economic conditions which up to recently have governed Sweden’s relations with Germany, have now produced a new situation with respect to which the British and American Governments wish to make certain observations for the very serious consideration of the Swedish Government.
The relations which our two Governments have maintained and developed with Sweden during the course of the war, particularly in their economic aspects, have been based on the fundamental consideration that Sweden’s basic interests, as a freedom loving country, lay in a victory for the United Nations, and that military and economic necessity, rather than choice, constituted the basis of the military and economic concessions which Sweden made to Germany at an earlier stage of the war. All our relations with Sweden during this period, including the agreements and understandings which have been concluded, have been based upon this overriding consideration. We have acted on this belief in our own policy toward Sweden where we have carefully refrained from asking Sweden to take actions limiting her concessions to Germany, which we have felt were beyond her powers, either military or economic, and which threatened her independent existence. We have also expressed this understanding in the material help we have furnished Sweden for the use of her armed forces, and in the economic supplies, including supplies from our very limited stocks of vital materials which we have allocated to the Swedish economy. In return, we have expected that Swedish policy with respect to Germany would show progressive development, as the balance shifted between the military strength of Sweden and the military forces which Germany might spare against her.
[Page 627]This balance has now definitely shifted in favor of Sweden. In present conditions, existing and prospective, Sweden can no longer have any fear of a German attack. In the economic sphere, also, the balance has shifted. It is true that Germany is still in a position, owing to the nature of her controls, to prevent for a time Swedish trade with the outside world. She is not similarly situated, however, to maintain trade with Sweden. Already, because of direct military activities of the United Nations and because of the recent action of the Swedish Government in withdrawing Swedish shipping from Swedish-German trade, Germany’s ability to import goods from Sweden is being more and more restricted, and may soon be reduced to very small proportions. Fortunately for the Swedish economy, it is our understanding that Swedish stocks of coal already imported from Germany are sufficient for this final stage of hostilities.
We have made these observations because we feel that the time has come for a radical change in Sweden’s policy towards Germany, a change that is in the interest of Sweden as well as of all other free peoples.
We are sure that your Government recognize this new situation and we shall be glad to learn what steps they intend to take in consequence.
- Copy transmitted to the Department in despatch 4034, September 5, from Stockholm; received September 13.↩