740.00112 European War 1939/8–2144: Telegram
The Secretary of State to the Minister in Switzerland (Harrison)96
2876. Military developments will soon justify our making a formal demand, jointly with the British, that the Swiss suspend all exports to the enemy and prohibit all enemy transit traffic through Switzerland. We assume that in view of our reservation of rights in the London negotiations and the subsequent Allied landings in southern France97 the Swiss expect, and are prepared at least partially to meet, such a demand. We feel, however, that it would be preferable if the Swiss Government came forward and, frankly recognizing an obvious situation, forestalled by voluntary and independent action the demands we have indicated we shall make. Action by the Swiss now to suspend within the framework of their agreements with the Germans all exports to enemy and enemy-occupied territory and prohibiting enemy transit traffic would make an excellent impression not only in official circles here but also in American public opinion. Swiss public opinion, we feel, would also support such a voluntary move. Its effect, if made immediately, on post-armistice and post-war economic negotiations would doubtless be more favorable to the Swiss than their grudging assent under pressure to demands of which they have been already forewarned.
Unless you or the Embassy at London to whom this is being repeated perceive any objection, the Department will authorize you and, at your discretion, your staff to take every opportunity informally [Page 761] to present to Pilet-Golaz and other appropriate Swiss officials the trend of our thinking here. Time is of the essence and we are asking the British to authorize their Minister in Bern to make parallel informal démarches. You may wish to illustrate how the rapid extension of the Allied front in southern France foreshadows the collapse of German military control of that area and in consequence of Germany’s blockade of Switzerland. You should keep alive in the degree you judge most telling the Secretary’s remarks to Bruggmann of July 1498 and our whole attitude as already known to you toward further aid by Switzerland to our enemies.
If the Swiss ask whether we would be willing to assume an obligation to replace supplies now obtained from Germany, you may reply that upon complete cessation of Swiss exports to Germany and German transit traffic through Switzerland we will be glad to enter into immediate negotiations with the Swiss for an agreement regarding the supply of goods, the purchase of Swiss products by the United Nations and other economic questions. You should emphasize that the ability of the Germans to supply and deliver goods to Switzerland may be expected to deteriorate increasingly in the immediate future.
Please cable urgently your comments repeating them to London.
- Repeated to London, with the addition of the following final paragraph, as telegram 6665: “Please discuss immediately with the appropriate British officials and cable the Department, repeating to Bern, the British reaction to (1) their associating themselves with a formal demand in the very near future, at latest when our forces reach the Franco-Swiss border and (2) their associating themselves with immediate informal démarches as outlined above. In view of the urgency of the matter we hope to instruct Bern to proceed with the informal approach this week.”↩
- August 15, 1944.↩
- See memorandum by the Secretary of State, July 14, p. 747.↩