740.0011 E.W./4–1245: Telegram

The Ambassador to the Norwegian Government in Exile ( Osborne ) to the Secretary of State

Noweg 50. My Noweg 14 February 1, 7 p.m., repeated to Stockholm as my 149, February 1, 7 p.m. Minister of Foreign Affairs Trygve Lie has today handed to Swedish Minister to Norway an aide-mémoire dated April 1278 referring to the Norwegian aide-mémoire of February 1, 1945 which touched upon possible armed intervention in Norway by Sweden.

In the aide-mémoire of April 12 reference is made to Allied High Command’s belief that it will not be possible to conclude a formal armistice with the Nazis, and the Norwegian Government therefore finds that it must reckon with the possibility of a long continued fight by the German divisions now in Norway.

The aide-mémoire expresses confidence that Sweden will be ready to undertake intervention if it should appear necessary in order to [Page 67] spare Norwegian people from suffering. It expresses the Norwegian Government’s belief that the time for intervention will occur immediately after the Allied High Command has declared that Germany is to be regarded as conquered. But the Norwegian Government believes it of decisive importance that there should now be undertaken by Sweden such measures as will leave no doubt among German forces in Norway that their position will be untenable after Germany’s collapse, and that if necessary they will be attacked from Sweden if they do not then give up. The Norwegian Government is convinced that its objective can be reached only if the Swedish Army is placed in a state of full military preparedness as soon as possible. In requesting this step the Norwegian Government fully understands that it will involve sacrifices for the Swedish people.

Full text of aide-mémoire will be telegraphed when a smooth translation has been completed.79

In this connection please see my Noweg 43 April 6, 8 p.m., which was repeated to Stockholm as No. 297.

Repeated to Stockholm as 307, April 12, 9 p.m.

[Osborne]
  1. For text of this aide-mémoire, see Norges Forhold til 8 verige under Krigen 1940–45, vol. iii, pp. 310–312.
  2. Text of the aide-mémoire contained in Noweg 52, April 13, 1945, 2 p.m., not printed (740.0011 European War/4–1345).