860D.01/6–2744: Telegram
The Chargé in Finland (Gullion) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 28—1:11 a.m.]
515. See my 514. 1. The communiqué issued tonight represents a decision which Diet has not had opportunity to pass. It looks as if Government perhaps under German pressure failed to bring matter to test when it appeared that substantial opposition might appear.41
2. It is reported that Germans promised 6 to 7 divisions. A division and perhaps 2 armored brigades, miscellaneous troops and marines are here now. One division is the 122nd. Vehicles seen in street are camouflaged in light tan and gray desert style and bear an emblem of either a talon or a griffin volant. Horse-drawn vehicles and artillery teams common.
[3.] Apparently Finnish Government claim actually to have decided to break with Germany. My 49242 was given me by Foreign Office as from Government with reserve that Minister could not be mentioned. Then between Monday and Tuesday hesitation of headquarters prevented developments and on Thursday Ribbentrop arrived and achieved his usual success. Social Democrats are expected to withdraw Ministers from Government and Swedish Party contemplating some action but remains to be seen if they will stick to their guns.
4. Minor officials but not major ones now admit that decisions are influenced by fear of German strength. I think it can effectively be said that last lingering hope that Finland has liberty of action has vanished and that case for rupture of relations exists. Anticipate that Finns will claim that they sounded Russians and got answers which to them were tantamount to unconditional surrender. This was told me by Foreign Minister in last interview.
Repeated to Stockholm as my 157.
- On the basis of information received from the Swedish Government, the Minister in Sweden reported in telegram 2335, June 27, 1944, “that Finnish Government, faced with action of Social Democratic Swedish Peoples, and Progressive Parties against yielding to Ribbentrop’s demands, decided not to present question to Parliament [Diet] … and instead carried out a coup against the Parliament by accepting Ribbentrop’s demands without reference to the Parliament and calling in German troops.” (860D.01/6–2744)↩
- Dated June 23, 1944, not printed; it reported that no new Finnish Government had been formed, presumably because of a failure by political parties and leading groups to agree on personalities, and because of time needed to obtain Soviet reactions to a possible Finnish peace move. (860D.01/197)↩