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Finland United States
The United States recognized Finland as an independent
state
in 1919. In that year, the United States assisted Finland
with
deliveries of food through an organization led by Herbert
Hoover.
Since then assistance has been in the form of loans, all
of which
have been repaid. This has contributed to the development
of
friendly relations between the countries. The American
public
expressed great sympathy for Finland during the Winter
War, and,
although the United States ambassador was recalled in June
1944
after Finland's decision to continue the war against the
Soviet
Union, the United States did not declare war on Finland
(see The Winter War
, ch. 1). In the postwar period,
Finnish-American
relations have been exceedingly cordial. Even though
political
considerations did not allow Finland to participate in the
Marshall Plan after World War II, in the immediate postwar
years,
Finland received about US$200 million in credits from the
United
States to help rebuild its industrial base.
Both Kekkonen and Koivisto paid state visits to the
United
States, and United States presidents have occasionally
expressed
their support for Finnish neutrality. In early 1983,
however, the
supreme commander of NATO forces in Europe, United States
general
Bernard Rogers, expressed uncertainty about the Finns'
desire to
defend themselves. His press conference remarks caused
much
consternation in Finland. Other military officials have
since
praised Finland's defense readiness; among them was United
States
admiral William Crowe, who paid Finland an official visit
in 1986
as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Data as of December 1988
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