740.00112 European War 1939/10455: Telegram

The Secretary of State to the Ambassador in the United Kingdom (Winant)

2604. For the Ambassador and Riefler.

1. We have received and carefully considered your 2617, March 31, arid are most disappointed at the position of the Swedish Government as set forth in Hägglöf’s note to Foot. The situation with respect to ball-bearing and related exports is such, however, that, we cannot accept Hägglöf’s note as being the final decision of the Swedish Government and all interested agencies of this Government feel that we must not neglect any possibility of impressing the Swedes with the importance which we attach to obtaining our ends.

Prior to receipt of Stockholm’s telegram no. 236 of March 28 to you,68 we had hoped that some arrangement might be worked out with SKF whereby deliveries to Germany could be stopped. Our chances of success through a direct approach to SKF seem, however, very slim in view of the uncooperative attitude of Hamberg69 as disclosed in Stockholm’s telegram. We believe, therefore, that the approach should be direct to the Swedish authorities in Stockholm, inviting their intervention and assistance. This is not to say that if the Swedish Government shows a disposition to meet our desires through its own pressure on SKF we should insist on dealing only with the Swedish Government. The main point is that we now feel that initiative for stopping these exports must come from the Swedish Government.

Accordingly, we propose to instruct Minister Johnson to make a formal démarche to Stockholm along the lines indicated in paragraph 2 below. We hope that the Foreign Office will see its way to instructing Mallet to make a parallel démarche thus associating the British Government with the United States Government in this important matter. This telegram is being sent to Johnson but he is to delay making his démarche until instructed to do so by the Department in order that the British Foreign Office may have an opportunity to consider its position.

2. Instructions to Johnson: As soon as you are specifically instructed to do so by the Department you should call on the Foreign Minister and make written representations in the following sense:

The Government of the United States has noted with gratification the successive steps which the Swedish Government has taken since the delivery of the oral statement contained in the Department’s 26, January 7, 1943,70 to terminate the various humiliating measures [Page 486] forced upon Sweden during the flood tide of German military power and unmistakably to reassert Sweden’s sovereign rights. Sweden’s enforcement of German respect of Swedish rights has as anticipated in our démarche of a year ago led to renewed American confidence in the Swedish Government and people and concretely laid the foundation for various forms of friendly collaboration between the two Governments including the comprehensive War Trade Agreement of 1943.

A stage has now been reached in the war which the United States and its associates are waging against Germany when it becomes of paramount importance to eliminate to the greatest possible extent all benefits which Germany derives from areas not under German control and which are directly employed by German armed forces in killing American soldiers. The benefits which the American Government has in mind are not only arms and ammunition but also those strategic products and raw materials which are essential to the German war machine.

The fundamental similarity in the basic interests of the Swedish and American peoples leads the American Government to believe that the Swedish Government will wish to take adequate measures to insure that Swedish long range interests are not compromised through avoidable contributions to the strength of the German military machine, to break the strength of which American lives are being daily expended in increasing numbers.

Specifically, the American Government now desires to bring about the cessation of all exports from Sweden to Nazi controlled Europe of ball and roller bearings, and machinery and special tools and special steels for the manufacture thereof, and piston rings. The American Government appreciates that a request for the complete cessation of these exports is not provided for within the framework of the existing War Trade Agreement. These materials are, however, of such direct benefit to the German war machine, and consequently the cause of the deaths of so many American soldiers and airmen, that the American Government must use every possible means at its disposal to effect the cessation of their export. Emphasis is given to the American necessities in this respect by important military developments and the basic change in the military situation since the War Trade Agreement was worked out last summer.

The Swedish Government is aware that exploratory conversations concerning exports of ball bearings, etc. have already taken place in London between Mr. Hägglöf and representatives of the British and American Governments. The American Government now desires that these conversations be pressed forward in London as formal negotiations and emphasizes that the exigencies of the war do not permit the American Government to prolong such negotiations or to delay the immediate use of all possible measures at its disposal to bring about an immediate cessation of the exports in question. In recognition of the difficulties involved on the Swedish side in arriving at satisfactory arrangements to fulfill our wishes in this matter the American Government is prepared:

(1)
To purchase the SKF production of ball and roller bearings and components that otherwise might go to Germany and her satellites within the limits of the War Trade Agreement, [Page 487] and to make suitable arrangements for purchasing piston rings and special steels;
(2)
To use its best efforts to assure the return to SKF after the war of title to such SKF properties in Germany as possibly may be expropriated by the German Government in retaliation for Swedish action in stopping ball bearing exports;
(3)
To do everything in its power to make up to Sweden for the loss of critical imports from Germany and to offset other possible economic losses as a result of German retaliatory action;
(4)
Immediately to discuss with the Swedish Government the possibility of supplying Sweden with products which are in short supply in the United States and which are badly needed for Swedish economy and defense establishment.
On the other hand, the American Government states quite frankly that if its desires in this matter, which vitally concern the lives of countless American soldiers, are not met, serious consideration will be given to blacklisting SKF in view of the general attitude and cooperation with Germany in various ways of responsible officials of that company including Mr. Hamberg, and to such other measures as are at the disposal of the American Government.

The American Government emphasizes its hope that the Swedish Government will take the necessary steps to accomplish the desire of the United States Government for an immediate cessation of exports of the articles requested.

3. When making the written representations outlined in paragraph 2, Minister Johnson should make the two following points orally:

(a)
He should impress upon the Swedes the importance to us of immediate cessation of the exports in question and that we do not wish those exports to continue while negotiations are in progress in London. In fact, we will have to insist that such exports shall cease forthwith;
(b)
He should point out that the Swedes will doubtless wish to bear in mind the enduring effect upon American public opinion which would result from a knowledge that Sweden continued to permit exports to Germany of such vital war materials as those referred to above. Much publicity has been given to the air attacks on German ball bearing factories and to the loss of American lives resulting therefrom. The American people will not understand any possible justification for continued Swedish contribution of these materials to the German war machine. This point cannot be emphasized too strongly.

4. For your information this telegram has been approved by the Department and Foreign Economic Administration and represents the considered views of this Government. Furthermore, the Joint Chiefs of Staff deem it of utmost military importance that every possible effort be made to secure at the earliest practicable date a reduction to a minimum of Swedish exports to the enemy, particularly ball bearings, and have emphasized the importance of vigorous [Page 488] and unremitting efforts to this end. The subject is of such vital concern to the prosecution of the war that, as mentioned in paragraph 1, we feel that we must make a démarche along the indicated lines within a week at the outside. We believe, however, that parallel action by the British would immeasurably strengthen our chances of obtaining Swedish compliance with our request and wish you therefore urgently to press the matter with the Foreign Secretary.71

Sent to London for action; repeated to Stockholm for information as Department’s no. 576.

Hull
  1. Sent to the Department as No. 1054, March 28, 1944, 8 p.m., not printed.
  2. C. A. Harald Hamberg, Managing Director of SKF.
  3. Foreign Relations, 1943, vol. ii, p. 739.
  4. Anthony Eden.