740.00112 European War 1939/6–2744: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)
5338. Stockholm’s telegram to London 628, June 27, 4 p.m., repeated by Stockholm to Department as 2331, June 27, 4 p.m.85 Department [Page 571] notes with apprehension that SKF received on or about June 15th large orders from Germans for 1945 delivery for bearings with value estimated at between 10 and 15 million kronor. Legation states that presumably SKF will accept this new German order in its entirety thereby committing themselves to 1945 deliveries of ball bearings and that Legation believes we shall have to face 1945 problem on inter-governmental level.
It is of primary importance that we secure an agreement from the Swedish Government to embargo the export of ball and roller bearings to Germany in 1945 before the Swedes make any commitments to the Germans for that period.
You are therefore requested to consult the appropriate British authorities to obtain their agreement, as well as necessary instruction to British Legation in Stockholm, to joint presentation by British and American Ministers of Aide-Mémoire to Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs in sense of next paragraph. When you have obtained British agreement you are instructed to notify Legation in Stockholm which is hereby authorized to take action as indicated.
“It is the understanding of the Government of the United States that the Swedish Government have made no engagements regarding exports to Germany in 1945. The Government of the United States desires therefore to effect the cessation in 1945, or during that part of 1945 in which hostilities continue between the United Nations and the Axis, of all Swedish exports to Germany, associated countries and occupied territories, of ball and roller bearings and parts thereof and of machinery and special steels and special tools for the manufacture thereof as well as of piston rings.
This Government is motivated to express the above desire at this time since it has been informed that SKF received on or about June 15th large orders from Germany for between 3 million and 3½ million bearings with total value estimated at between 10 million and 15 million kronor.
The American Government emphasizes its hope that necessary steps will be taken by the Swedish Government to meet this Government’s wish that the export of these commodities would not be permitted in 1945. One of these steps would doubtless be the informing of Swedish manufacturers of the Swedish Government’s decision. A reply to this Aide-Mémoire at the earliest convenience of the Royal Minister of Foreign Affairs would be appreciated.”
The American and British Ministers should, when they present the Aide-Mémoire to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, refer to their statement made to Boheman on June 12 (Legation’s 2116 to Department86 and 563 to London, both of June 12, 8 p.m.) in order that there may be no misunderstanding regarding our continued reservations of full freedom of action in 1944. Department desires to avoid publicity with [Page 572] regard to this démarche and requests action taken be regarded as confidential in London and Stockholm.
It is of the greatest importance in the opinion of the Department that the British and American Legations in Stockholm should immediately present Aide-Mémoires along the above lines and it is hoped that you will be in a position to cable Stockholm within 24 hours.
Cable action taken.
(In the event Swedes reply that they cannot give a favorable reply to Aide-Mémoire until we have negotiated War Trade Agreement for 1945, Legations at Stockholm may inform the Swedes that we are proposing to begin such negotiations later in the year but that we desire an immediate assurance that they will not enter into any commitments with Germans prior to these negotiations, regarding the commodities mentioned above.)
Sent to London repeated to Stockholm as Department’s no. 1347.