854.24/171: Telegram

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

6455. From Riefler for Department and OEW.9

1.
Following are my views regarding the Swiss request for additional supplies for the Swiss Army quoted in my telegram 6247 of September 18.10 MEW is communicating its similar views to British Embassy Washington simultaneously.
2.
It is important to support the Swiss Army, to maintain their friendship for us in the councils of Switzerland, as well as to maintain their will and ability to resist German demands for military concessions. We appreciate that the goods now requested may not be available for actual use by the Swiss Army for a considerable period but we feel, nevertheless, that a genuine gesture of support from us would be useful. Tactically, it is important to make the gesture now when we are showing our displeasure with the action of Swiss officials in the economic field, by resuming pressure on a very heavy scale.
3.
It would be desirable consequently to permit such of these supplies as we can spare to go to Switzerland for the exclusive use of the Swiss Army. Ordinarily we would recommend that they go as part of the compensation agreement in return for an equivalent value of Swiss exports to us. At the present time, however, it would be undesirable to delay such supplies as we may make available for the Swiss Army by the interminable complications that have so far attended executions of the compensation agreement. I would, therefore, recommend that we tell the Swiss that we would regard such supply assistance as our own supply position permits, to provide the Swiss Army with these supplies from overseas, as an advance under the compensation agreement to be balanced later by an equivalent value of essential Swiss goods for our use.
[Page 905]

Follidt [sic] must recognize of course that we may actually get no counterpart for these supplies other than the stiffening of the Swiss Army, especially if the Germans refuse to issue Geleitscheine from now on, following our resumption of blacklisting pressure in Switzerland.

The actual list of materials desired by the Swiss Army is covered by my telegram 1592 of March 5, noon, and despatch 8258 of March 22, 1943.11 It is rather extensive. It will be reduced, however, by the transport facilities open to the Swiss (they say they could only move 25,000 tons a month by the overland route from losbon [Lisbon?], Bilbao and Barcelona) and by our supply position. OEW can therefore use this original list as a starting point for drawing up a smaller list of goods that would suit our supply situation.

We would, however, not want the Swiss to get the impression that we were just offering them supplies on the assumption they will not be able to move them. We would want them to know that we really do want to support the Swiss Army, provided suitable safeguards can be worked out to prevent the Germans from seizing these supplies en route. [Riefler.]

Winant
  1. Office of Economic Warfare, successor agency of the Board of Economic Warfare.
  2. Not printed.
  3. Latter not printed.