Office of the Historian

711.58114A/9–2844: Telegram

The Minister in Sweden (Johnson) to the Secretary of State

Stockholm, September 28, 1944—7 p.m.
[Received 9:04 p.m.]

3939. I have just been informed by Boheman that the Government following our various representations has decided to release to us at once without any compensating factor 300 of our interned airmen “in anticipation of any Germans who may come into the country”, the men released to be chosen by ourselves as we wish regardless of time of their arrival in Sweden. Mr. Boheman said that the Government prefers to release these men as a gesture of good will and friendship to the United States, does not desire to consider question on any basis of compensation for Sweden, and regrets that it is not practicable to release the entire number at once. He said that we should first get these men out, then we can examine the question of the remaining ones and see what may happen in meantime. It would be embarrassing for the Government, he indicated, from an internal political point of view, to empty all of the American camps at once.

He said that they might take up with us later the possibility of securing on the same terms as previous aircraft loaned to the Swedes, two additional ones to be refitted as transport planes but he said that this request would be made at a suitable time and was in no way tied up with the release of our men. Later on he said the Government hopes that the Swedish aircraft industry will be able to purchase license for manufacturing rights of an aircraft engine after the war of a type which has not yet been decided upon. He hopes that when this question comes up, it may be given sympathetic consideration.

[Page 695]

I thanked Mr. Boheman for what his Government had done and told him that I was confident that it would be greatly appreciated by my own Government as well as by our air authorities.

Please inform War immediately.

My 1171 September 28, 7 p.m. repeats this to London for the Ambassador and General Spaatz.76

Johnson
  1. Gen. Carl Spaatz, Commanding General, U. S. Strategic Air Forces in the European Theater of Operations.↩