740.00112 European War 1939/9453

The Ambassador in the United Kingdom ( Winant ) to the Secretary of State

No. 11,467

Sir: I have the honor to inform the Department that the Norwegian Embassy approached the Ministry of Economic Warfare on September 24, 1943 and submitted the following information and proposal:

It appears that on the recent raid against the aluminum plant on an island near Oslo the principal nitrate factory was extensively damaged. [Page 490] The Norwegian government is seriously concerned over this destruction and points out that it will have a most deleterious effect upon the agricultural production of Norway and consequently upon the Norwegian food supply. While some of the nitrate products might be exported to Denmark against Danish products, a higher percentage of the nitrate production is destined for Norwegian agriculture.

The Norwegian Embassy indicated that if orders could be placed in Sweden it would be possible to obtain sufficient motors and cement partially to resume nitrate production by the end of December and probably to revert to full production by March 1944. In view of the importance of this plant to the Norwegian food production, the Norwegian Embassy would like Anglo-American consent to placing the necessary orders and further to permitting Swedish banks to advance the credit required for the transaction. The matter was extremely urgent for the reason that the Norwegian national handling the matter in Stockholm had only a permit for a very short stay in Sweden and requested our response before his departure.

After consultation between Mr. Foot18 and Mr. Riefler,19 it was decided that the Ministry and the Embassy would give their assent to the placing of the orders and also to the granting of Swedish bank credits. However, this consent was given on the understanding that both the British and American Governments must refer this proposal to a high level and that the Norwegian authorities would guarantee that no deliveries or shipments to Norway would be made pending our final joint decision. Under this arrangement, there would be no delay in placing the orders but delivery could not be effected until the British and American Governments had definitely concurred in the proposal.

A copy of the Ministry of Economic Warfare’s letter of September 29, 1943 to the British Minister in Stockholm explaining this case in more detail is enclosed.20 The Embassy would appreciate instructions after this matter has been considered by the competent authorities in Washington.

Respectfully yours,

For the Ambassador:
James W. Riddleberger

First Secretary of Embassy
  1. Dingle Mackintosh Foot, Parliamentary Secretary to the British Ministry of Economic Warfare.
  2. Winfield W. Riefler, special assistant to the American Ambassador in the United Kingdom with rank of Minister.
  3. Not printed.