740.0011 European War 1939/22568: Telegram
The Minister in Finland (Schoenfeld) to the Secretary of State
[Received June 30—10 a.m.]
533. Prime Minister Rangell who in absence of Witting is acting as Foreign Minister informed me in reply to inquiry this morning that Marshal Mannerheim’s visit to Germany reported in my 5291 yesterday was one of courtesy only. He said emphatically that Hitler’s visit here June 4 and Mannerheim’s return visit had no military significance.
My conversation today with Prime Minister gave me impression that there has been no change in general attitude of Finnish Government which remains essentially defensive for the present but as indicated in my 320, April 291 possible collapse of Russian resistance to German attacks may well induce Finns to continue their advance eastward to the White Sea. As to possible German intentions in the North I elicited no information from Rangell.