Foreign Relations of the United States: Diplomatic Papers, 1944, The British Commonwealth and Europe, Volume III

711.60D/6–3044

The Secretary of State to the Finnish Chargé (Thesleff)

[Washington,] June 30, 1944.

Sir: On June 27, 1944, the Finnish Government made the following announcement:

[Here follows text of the Finnish-German communiqué, transmitted in telegram 514 of June 27, 1944, from Helsinki, page 604.]

The Finnish Government has thus formally admitted to the world that it has now entered a hard and fast military partnership with Nazi Germany irrevocable throughout the war, for the purpose of fighting the Allies of the United States, in alliance with the enemies of the United States. This action was taken without recourse to the established democratic procedure of Finland, and responsibility for the consequences must rest solely on the Finnish Government.

The American Government is not unaware of the fact that the infiltration of German troops into Finland, with the consent of the Finnish Government and German infiltration into the councils of the Finnish Government have deprived Finland of liberty of action and reduced the Government of the Republic of Finland to the condition of a puppet of Nazi Germany.

This necessarily changes the status of the Finnish Government. The United States, up to the present, has taken every opportunity, publicly and through diplomatic representations, to warn the Finnish Government of the inevitable consequences of continuing its association with Nazi Germany. These warnings have been ignored, and the partnership is now complete.

The Government of the United States must take into account the fact that at this decisive stage in the combined operations of the military, naval and air forces of the United States and the other United Nations, the Finnish operations have a direct bearing on the success of the Allied effort. Notwithstanding the esteem in which the American people have held the people of Finland, further relations between the Government of the United States and the Government of Finland are now impossible.

The American Chargé d’Affaires in Helsinki has therefore been instructed to request passports for himself and for the members of his staff and their families.

The American Government is requesting the Swiss Government to assume immediately the representation of American interests in Finland.⁴⁶

Accept [etc.]

Cordell Hull

46. Representation of American interests and custody of American Government assets were entrusted to the Swiss Legation on July 3, 1944; the American Legation’s affairs were fully terminated on July 4.