Office of the Historian

198. Memorandum From Secretary of State Rusk to President Kennedy0

Washington, November 20, 1961.

SUBJECT

  • U.S. Policy Towards Finland

The enclosed paper considers what steps the United States should take alone or in cooperation with friendly governments in the face of current Soviet pressures on Finland.1 The first and most pressing action recommended is a message from you to President Kekkonen. President Kekkonen is meeting Premier Khrushchev in Novosibirsk on November 24 and will be leaving Helsinki on November 22 or November 23. Therefore the message should be transmitted today, November 20.

The conclusion of our study is that the Finnish-Soviet problem should not be treated as an isolated bilateral matter. If we continue to maintain a hands off position the Soviets are likely to achieve a good portion of their objectives, that is, assuring effective control over Finnish policies; weakening the determination of the Scandinavians to stand up to them; and in general an impairment of free world resolve. Thus we believe it is necessary to accept a confrontation with the Soviets in Finland despite all the advantages the USSR possesses in that area. This would involve a readiness to assist Finland in the political, economic [Page 419] and propaganda spheres. We believe the Soviets are unlikely in the Finnish context alone to resort to military force. We would continually make clear that our only purpose is to help Finland follow its chosen path of neutrality and independence.

The message to President Kekkonen is intended to strengthen his internal fortitude prior to his meeting with Khrushchev. While he has shown himself in our view overly pliable in the past in relations with the USSR, there seems to be no alternative but to place reliance in the first instance upon him.

I recommend that you give general approval to the course of action set forth in the attached paper and specifically that you authorize transmission of the message from you to President Kekkonen.

Dean Rusk2

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Files, 660E.61/11–2061. Secret (With Top Secret Attachment). Drafted by Burdett.↩
  2. The enclosures, the paper entitled “U.S. Policy Towards Finland,” a proposed message to President Kekkonen, and a Top Secret Appendix, are not printed.↩
  3. Printed from a copy that bears this stamped signature.↩