760E.56/12–2854
No. 418
The Counselor of Embassy in Finland
(Morgan) to
Marselis C. Parsons, Jr., of the
Office of British Commonwealth and Northern European
Affairs1
official–informal
Dear Pardy: It appears that the Chief of the Finnish Military Intelligence Service made a covert visit to the United States to see whether the United States Government considered that there was any basic reason why the Finns should not take up through more formal channels the question of the procurement of a few trainer jet aircraft. The Finns did not desire to make an approach through more formal channels, involving a wider range of Finnish officials, without finding out first whether such an approach would in any case be useless. Now that the Finns have apparently been advised in Washington that consideration of such a proposal is not excluded, [Page 778] they may approach us again and if so will do so through Embassy channels.
The Finns are entirely aware of the uneconomic aspects of plane production in Finland but as we understand it their desire nevertheless to produce a few planes in Finland is an idea of the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, General Heiskanen, who desires thereby to put himself in a position where he can claim in the face of possible Russian pressure that Finland has no need of Russian assistance but is building up its own stock of planes of various types as part of a program for developing a general defense position requiring no support or guidance from outside.
As for purchases from the Swedes, I think it should be realized at home that the Finns in general are not notably fond of the Swedes and are little disposed to think of them as friends in time of need. Not only do the military here take a dim view of what they consider the shabby attitude of the Swedes during the Winter War but they do not consider that the attitude of the Swedes has been co-operative or straightforward since that time. A Finnish request to purchase jet planes from the Swedes some time ago was turned down. Subsequently the Finns got a few planes from the British instead. The Swedes thereupon offered some planes to the Finns, but these planes turned out on examination to be such worn-out junk that the Finns were annoyed rather than pleased by this approach. In the circumstances the Finns are inclined to think that a build-up of Finnish armed strength is of less interest to the Swedes than the Swedish desire to keep Finland as neutral as possible. Finnish defense personnel, therefore, prefer to leave the Swedes out of the picture and seek what matériel they need from England, France, the United States, etc.
For your further information, our own Department of the Army has recently supplied the Finnish defense forces with examples of recoil-less anti-tank weapons for study and practice in return for data on the results of their experimental use in Finnish winter conditions. A shipment was received some weeks ago and we understand a second shipment is due shortly. I learned of this because the Army Department blandly consigned the shipment to the Army Attaché, using an ordinary bill of lading sent through commercial channels just as if they were sending books or groceries. In the normal course, the Embassy would have to ask the Foreign Office for the customs free release of such a shipment. I advised the Army Attaché, however, that I did not desire the Embassy and Foreign Office to get into this affair and suggested to him that he ask the Finnish Defense Department to use its own resources to obtain possession of the weapons. This was duly done.
[Page 779]With regard to Russian planes and radar our latest information is that the question remains in suspense. The military here are still opposed to Finnish purchase of Russian equipment and are still stalling while looking around for what they can get elsewhere. In addition to the approach in regard to planes, which is subject your letter,2 we understand the Finns have openly approached Dutch, British, French, German and Italian firms recently in regard to price and availability of radar. We hear also that in response to the Finns’ inquiry of the American firm of “Gilfillin”, the Finns were rather rudely informed that there was no point in discussing the matter since the State Department would not permit shipments to such a country as Finland. In the meantime the Finns are carrying on with their own home-made radar, but we hear the efficiency of the local radar under cloudy conditions is not high.
Sincerely yours,