740.0011 European War 1939/17087: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received December 5—4:21 a.m.]
645. My telegram No. 614, November 28.92 The Minister for Foreign Affairs at 6 this afternoon handed to Third Secretary McClintock a note verbale, dated today, in the English language. McClintock called on Minister Witting in my stead, as I am confined to my room today by slight food poisoning. The Foreign Minister said his [Page 114] Government did not intend to give any publicity to the note and was grateful for our offer to send it in confidential code. Text follows:94
“The Finnish Minister for Foreign Affairs has the honor to request the Minister of the United States to transmit to His Britannic Majesty’s Government the following communication from the Finnish Government.
‘The Finnish Government have received on November 28, 1941, through the Minister of the United States in Helsinki a communication to the effect that unless by December 5th the Finnish Government cease military operations and withdraw from all active participation in hostilities, His Britannic Majesty’s Government will have no choice but to declare the existence of a state of war between the two countries.
In reply to the previous communication of the British Government received on the 22d day of last September, the Finnish Government showed that Finland’s military operations are defensive warfare dictated by vital considerations of her own, relating to her existence and security. With reference to this definition of their attitude and also to the memorandum they handed to the Government of the United States on November 11th, with which the British Government is doubtless acquainted, the Finnish Government repeat their statement that the struggle Finland is waging has no other aims than the safeguarding of the existence and security of the Finnish nation, which have been threatened with total destruction. The Finnish people possess a sense of reality and are aware of their limitations, and do not strive any further in their pursuit of the war than is essentially demanded by their own aims.
On this basis there is cause in the present situation [to believe?] that the Finnish Army is not far from the achievement of its strategic aims, namely the liberation of the parts of Finland’s state territory lost under the terms of the peace of Moscow and the rendering harmless of the areas from where the enemy had been preparing to destroy Finland.
The Finnish Government find it difficult to conceive that there is anything in their attitude which could give the British Government cause to declare the existence of a state of war between the two countries. It would be to Finland’s deep regret if that were to happen.’
Helsinki, December 4th, 1941.”
Repeated to London via Stockholm.