181. Letter From the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European Affairs (Jones) to the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Irwin)1
Dear Jack: I have just returned from an interesting conference at London2 at which our Chiefs of Mission in the Scandinavian countries reported on developments in their respective areas.
I think you will be interested to know that both Miss Willis, our Ambassador to Norway and Mr. Peterson, our Ambassador to Denmark stressed the need for continued American military assistance if these countries are to maintain modern defense forces at the present level.
Miss Willis observed that Norwegian foreign policy is based on strong support for the United Nations and for NATO. She was inclined to believe that with a weaker government it might be difficult for Norway to maintain the current level of expenditures on defense in competition with the demands of the welfare state. Although the Defense Committee of the Parliament supports the idea that defense should continue to receive a constant share of the increasing gross national product, Miss Willis said the full Storting had not indicated its accord. “Norway”, she said, “must continue to look to the United States for military assistance if it is to maintain modern armed forces”.
As regards Denmark, Ambassador Peterson pointed out that the five democratic parties are pledged to support NATO although there is some neutralism still in the Radical Liberal Party. He foresaw that Danish defense expenditures would be about the same next year as last but feared that reductions must be anticipated in the future. He echoed Ambassador Willis’ belief that American military assistance is necessary to Denmark if that country is to maintain modern defense forces at the present level.
I know you have this problem very much in mind at all times but I felt that you would be interested in knowing that our Ambassadors to these two countries specifically mentioned this problem as one of the important issues with which we have to contend.
Sincerely yours,
- Source: Department of State, Central Files, 120.1440/10–857. Secret. Drafted by Parsons on October 3. Copies were sent to Ambassadors Willis and Peterson.↩
- Regarding the meeting of the Northern European Chiefs of Mission in London, September 19–21, see vol. IV, pp. 608 ff.↩
- Printed from a copy that bears this typed signature.↩