Under pressure from the Germans, Prime Minister Churchill and the Canadian government had no choice but to agree to the German military's request for passage. The German military was powerful now; if they refused, then once the German military resorted to force, they would be the ones to suffer in the end.
However, though the Canadian government had no way to refuse the Germans' overbearing and unreasonable demands, they were not so easily dealt with either. That very night, the Americans learned through secret channels that the German military would be passing through Canada on a large scale to march against the United States.
Donovan, Director of the Intelligence Bureau, immediately reported the matter to the US Army General Staff Headquarters. At the same time, he personally rushed to the White House to report it to President Roosevelt. Clearly, the German military's passage through Canada to attack the United States would have an enormous impact on the US military's overall deployment.
"Mr. President, the German commander personally threatened Churchill and the Canadian government. If the Canadian government refused the German military's demands, they would send troops to destroy Canada. Therefore, Churchill and the Canadian government had no choice but to agree to the Germans' demands," Donovan said.
President Roosevelt's expression was exceedingly grim. For the United States and its military, this was undoubtedly yet another piece of bad news. Perhaps there had been too much bad news these past days, leaving President Roosevelt nearly numb to it all.
"Alas! I can understand Prime Minister Churchill and the others. Under the Germans' overwhelming coercion, there was nothing they could do, which was why they had no choice but to make such a decision. If I had been in that situation, I fear I would have had to make the same choice!"