859A.20/202/12
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Acting Secretary of State
[Washington,] June 25, 1941.
The British Ambassador called to see me this evening at his request. The Ambassador gave me to read a telegram received under date of June 24 by the British Foreign Office from the British Minister to Iceland. This telegram set forth the following facts:
- 1.
- The British Minister had spoken to the Icelandic Prime Minister of the need for the Icelandic Government to request the United States Government to defend Iceland and replace British troops of [Page 781] occupation with American troops. The Prime Minister had replied that many individuals in the Icelandic Government favored the step proposed but that he, the Prime Minister, himself was opposed to it.
- 2.
- The Prime Minister had stated that there had been a movement on foot in Iceland last autumn to make such a request of the United States Government but that at that time the American Consul, acting on instructions from Washington, had discouraged the move.
- 3.
- The British Minister expressed the opinion that it was possible that the Prime Minister or his Government could be persuaded to announce officially that the Government of Iceland “acquiesced” in American occupation in the place of British occupation, but that he doubted that the Icelandic Government would “request” such occupation.
Lord Halifax wished to know whether the President would regard the compromise suggested as satisfactory and, if not, whether the President would offer some counter proposal.
I replied that I would submit the question to the President and let the Ambassador have the President’s views tomorrow morning.
S[umner] W[elles]