740.0011 E.W./1–1845
Memorandum of Conversation, by the Chief of the Division of Northern European Affairs (Gumming)
| Participants: | Secretary of State, |
| H.R.H. Crown Prince Olav of Norway (Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces), | |
| Ambassador of Norway,64 | |
| Assistant Secretary of State Dunn, | |
| Hugh S. Cumming, Jr., Chief, Division of Northern European Affairs. |
The Norwegian Ambassador called on the Secretary of State by appointment in order to present His Royal Highness Crown Prince Olav of Norway who is also Commander-in-Chief of the Norwegian Armed Forces. The Ambassador handed the attached note64a to Mr. Stettinius and the Crown Prince initiated a further elaboration of its contents.
At this point the Secretary of State sent for Mr. Dunn and Mr. Cumming and they joined in the conversation.
After some discussion during which the Crown Prince emphasized that the Soviet Government was apparently willing and, in fact, desirous of withdrawing its forces from Northern Norway and the substitution therefor of an all Norwegian Force but desired that a specific plan of operations be drawn up, Secretary Stettinius suggested, and Mr. Dunn agreed, that the Crown Prince should discuss the matter with the War Department which seemed to be primarily concerned although there are of course political aspects. Accordingly, the Secretary and Mr. Dunn arranged a meeting between the Crown Prince and Assistant Secretary of War McCloy to take place on the afternoon of Saturday, January 20.