740.00116 E.W./11–745: Telegram

The Chargé in Finland (Hulley) to the Secretary of State

665. All papers 7th publish Government decision to indict eight war responsibles. Ryti, Linkomies, Tanner, Kukkonen,60 Reinikka,61 and Kivimaki62 arrested evening November 6, accused of misusing official positions by causing Finnish embroilment in war and delaying conclusion of peace. Rangell and Henrik Ramsay also ordered arrested.

According Government communiqué, all above persons responsible for some or all of following acts:

(1)
Failed make even attempts to regulate German transit traffic in 1941, thus permitting Germans ensconce themselves in Finland.
(2)
Issued proclamation tantamount to war declaration against Soviet Union without Soviet military operations warranting it.
(3)
Failed avail themselves American and British mediation offers autumn 1941.63
(4)
Decisively influenced Finnish embroilment in war with Great Britain by failing bring British ultimatum before Diet.
(5)
In 1943, when necessity for peace should have been plain, rendered America’s mediation offer of March 2064 negatory by bringing it to Germany’s knowledge, thus decisively preventing conclusion of peace then.
(6)
Contributed towards breaking off peace negotiations early 1944 by failing give Finnish delegation sufficient powers.
(7)
With concurrence some of these persons Ryti in summer 1944 signed undertaking Finland would not make separate peace, thus continuing decisively to prevent peace.
(8)
Kivimaki signed faulty transit agreement 1940 approving German transit through Finland,65 though it had disastrous consequences. As late as 1943 when he must have understood situation continued give misleading information concerning German resources, thus contributing toward delaying conclusion of peace.

Hulley
  1. Antti Kukkonen, Minister of Education, March 27, 1940, to March 5, 1943.
  2. Tyko Reinikka, Minister of Finance, March 5, 1943, to August 8, 1944.
  3. Toivo M. Kivimaki, Finnish Minister to Germany, May 25, 1940, to September 19, 1944.
  4. For information on the efforts of the United States and Great Britain to arrange peace negotiations between Finland and the Soviet Union in 1941, see Foreign Relations, 1941, vol. i, pp. 1116.
  5. See ibid., 1943, vol. iii, pp. 250269.
  6. For information concerning the German-Finnish agreement of September 22, 1940, for the transit of German troops through Finland to Norway, see ibid., 1940, vol. i, pp. 347352. See also Documents on German Foreign Policy, 1918–1945, series D, vol. xi, pp. 148–149.