[Department of State Bulletin, July 12, 1941]
The text of a message from the President to the Congress,
dated July 7, 1941, transmitting a message received from the
Prime Minister of Iceland and the reply of the President of
the United States, relating to use of United States forces in
Iceland, follows:
TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
I am transmitting herewith for the information of the
Congress a message I received from the Prime Minister of
Iceland on July first and the reply I addressed on the same
day to the Prime Minister of Iceland in response to this
message.
In accordance with the understanding so reached, forces
of the United States Navy have today arrived in Iceland in
order to supplement, and eventually to replace, the British
forces which have until now been stationed in Iceland in
order to insure the adequate defense of that country.
As I stated in my message to the Congress of September
third last regarding the acquisition of certain naval and air
bases from Great Britain in exchange for certain over-age
destroyers, considerations of safety from overseas attack are
fundamental.
The United States cannot permit the occupation by Germany
of strategic outposts in the Atlantic to be used as air or
naval bases for eventual attack against the Western
Hemisphere. We have no desire to see any change in the
present sovereignty of those regions. Assurance that such
outposts in our defence-frontier remain in friendly hands is
the very foundation of our national security and of the
national security of every one of the independent nations of
the New World.
For the same reason substantial forces of the United
States have now been sent to the bases acquired last year
from Great Britain in Trinidad and in British Guiana in the
south in order to forestall any pincers movement undertaken
by Germany against the Western Hemisphere. It is essential
that Germany should not be able successfully to employ such
tactics through sudden seizure of strategic points in the
south Atlantic and in the north Atlantic.
The occupation of Iceland by Germany would constitute a
serious threat in three dimensions:
The threat against Greenland and the northern portion of
the North American Continent, including the Islands which lie
off it.
The threat against all shipping in the north Atlantic.
The threat against the steady flow of munitions to
Britain-which is a matter of broad policy clearly approved by
the Congress.
It is, therefore, imperative that the approaches between
the Americas and those strategic outposts, the safety of
which this country regards as essential to its national
security, and which it must therefore defend, shall remain
open and free from all hostile activity or threat thereof.
As Commander in Chief I have consequently issued orders
to the Navy that all necessary steps be taken to insure the
safety of communications in the approaches between Iceland
and the United States, as well as on the seas between the
United States and all other strategic outposts.
This Government will insure the adequate defense of
Iceland with full recognition of the independence of Iceland
as a sovereign state.
In my message to the Prime Minister of Iceland I have
given the people of Iceland the assurance that the American
forces sent there would in no way interfere with the internal
and domestic affairs of that country, and that immediately
upon the termination of the present international emergency
all American forces will be at once withdrawn, leaving the
people of Iceland and their Government in full and sovereign
control of their own territory.
FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
THE WHITE HOUSE,
July, 7, 1941.
Message sent by the President of the United
States in response to a message from the Prime Minister of
Iceland
I have received your message in which you have informed
me that after careful consideration of all the circumstances,
the Iceland Government, in view of the present state of
affairs, admits that the sending to Iceland of United States
troops to supplement and eventually to replace the present
British forces there would be in accordance with the
interests of Iceland and that, therefore, the Iceland
Government is ready to entrust the protection of Iceland to
the United States on the following considerations:
1. United States promise to withdraw all their military
forces, land, air and sea, from Iceland immediately on
conclusion of present war.
2. United States further promise to recognize the
absolute independence and sovereignty of Iceland and to
exercise their best efforts with those powers which will
negotiate the peace treaty at the conclusion of the present
war in order that such treaty shall likewise recognize the
absolute independence and sovereignty of Iceland.
3. United States promise not to interfere with Government
of Iceland neither while their armed forces remain in this
country nor afterwards.
4. United States promise to organize the defense of the
country in such a way as to ensure the greatest possible
safety for the inhabitants themselves and assure that they
suffer minimum disturbance from military activities; these
activities being carried out in consultation with Iceland
authorities as far as possible. Also because of small
population of Iceland and consequent danger to nation from
presence of a numerous army, great care must be taken that
only picked troops are sent here. Military authorities should
be also instructed to keep in mind that Icelanders have been
unarmed for centuries and are entirely unaccustomed to
military discipline and conduct of troops towards the
inhabitants of the country should be ordered accordingly.
5. United States undertake defence of the country without
expense to Iceland and promise compensation for all damage
occasioned to the inhabitants by their military activities.
6. United States promise to further interests of Iceland
in every way in their power, including that of supplying the
country with sufficient necessities, of securing necessary
shipping to and from the country and of making in other
respects favorable commercial and trade agreements with it.
7. Iceland Government expect that declaration made by
President in this connection will be in agreement with these
promises on the part of Iceland, and Government would much
appreciate its being given the opportunity of being cognizant
with wording of this declaration before it is published.
8. On the part of Iceland it is considered obvious that
if United States undertake defense of the country it must be
strong enough to meet every eventuality and particularly in
the beginning it is expected that as far as possible efforts
will be made to prevent any special danger in connection with
change-over. Iceland Government lays special stress on there
being sufficient airplanes for defensive purposes wherever
they are required and they can be used as soon as decision is
made for United States to undertake the defense of the
country.
You further state that this decision is made on the part
of Iceland as an absolutely free and sovereign state and that
it is considered as a matter of course that the United States
will from the beginning recognize the legal status of
Iceland, both states immediately exchanging diplomatic
representatives.
I take pleasure in confirming to you hereby that the
conditions set forth in your communication now under
acknowledgment are fully acceptable to the Government of the
United States and that these conditions will be observed in
the relations between the United States and Iceland. I may
further say that it will give me pleasure to request of the
Congress its agreement in order that diplomatic
representatives may be exchanged between our two countries.
It is the announced policy of the Government of the
United States to undertake to join with the other nations of
the Western Hemisphere in the defense of the New World
against any attempt at aggression. In the opinion of this
Government, it is imperative that the integrity and
independence of Iceland should be preserved because of the
fact that any occupation of Iceland by a power whose only too
clearly apparent plans for world conquest include the
domination of the peoples of the New World would at once
directly menace the security of the entire Western
Hemisphere.
It is for that reason that in response to your message,
the Government of the United States will send immediately
troops to supplement and eventually to replace the British
forces now there.
The steps so taken by the Government of the United States
are taken in full recognition of the sovereignty and
independence of Iceland and with the clear understanding that
American military or naval forces sent to Iceland will in no
wise interfere in the slightest degree with the internal and
domestic affairs of the Icelandic people; and with the
further understanding that immediately upon the termination
of the present international emergency, all such military and
naval forces will be at once withdrawn leaving the people of
Iceland and their Government in full sovereign control of
their own territory.
The people of Iceland hold a proud position among the
democracies of the world, with a historic tradition of
freedom and of individual liberty which is more than a
thousand years old. It is, therefore, all the more
appropriate that in response to your message, the Government
of the United States, while undertaking this defensive
measure for the preservation of the independence and security
of the democracies of the New World should at the same time
be afforded the privilege of cooperating in this manner with
your Government in the defense of the historic democracy of
Iceland.
I am communicating this message, for their information,
to the Governments of all of the other nations of the Western
Hemisphere.