Office of the Historian

Secretary’s Memoranda: Lot 53 D 444: Memoranda of Conversation with the President1

Memorandum by the Secretary of State

top secret
[Washington,] February 9, 1950.

Meeting With the President2

Item 6. Telegram from Stockholm re export licenses for radar equipment3

The President had on his desk a copy of a long telegram from Stockholm of today’s date which raised some question of export licenses on radar equipment.

The President thought it desirable for me to see this telegram but he mentioned it chiefly, he said, because he wondered whether it would be desirable for the National Security Council to review our policy toward the Scandinavian countries looking toward a closer alignment of those countries with the West.

I replied that it was always desirable to keep our policies under review. It seemed to me, however, that it would be most dangerous at the present time to make any efforts in the direction of Finland since that would produce a reaction on the part of the Russians which would be most dangerous to the Finns. So far as Sweden is concerned, we would look into that matter at once and let him know whether we thought a general NSC review is desirable. This is a matter for Mr. Perkins’ attention.4

D[ean] A[cheson]
  1. Lot 53 D 444 is a comprehensive chronological collection of the Secretary of State’s memoranda and memoranda of conversation for the years 1947–1953, as maintained by the Executive Secretariat of the Department of State.↩
  2. The Secretary of State (or the Acting Secretary of State) met regularly with the President, usually at least once a week, to discuss important foreign policy problems. This memorandum covers one of the topics discussed at the meeting of February 9, 1950.↩
  3. The reference here is to telegram 167, February 7, from Stockholm, vol. iii, p. 15.↩

  4. In a memorandum of February 14 to the Secretary of State, not printed, Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs George W. Perkins commented upon the President’s inquiry about Scandinavian policy. The portion of the memorandum dealing with Finland reads as follows:

    “In reply to the President’s query as to whether a review of our policy toward the Scandinavian countries is desirable, it is suggested that you advise him that the Department sees no need for any change in our policy toward Norway, Denmark or Finland. Norway and Denmark are cooperating within the North Atlantic Treaty machinery, although they continue to be worried by Swedish neutrality. We believe the continuation of our present policy toward Finland is the wisest course to pursue for the present.” (103.1/2–1450)

    The remainder of the memorandum dealt with policy toward Sweden. The Secretary of State had this memorandum with him when he next conferred with the President on February 16, but policy toward Finland was not again discussed. The Department of State set forth its attitude with respect to Swedish neutrality in telegram 96, February 16, to Stockholm, vol. iii, p. 19.

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