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英语演讲稿
Bythistime,countriesthathadfallentotheNazisincluded:Austria,Czechoslovakia,Poland,Norway,Denmark,France,Belgium,Luxembourg,theNetherlands,andareasinNorthAfrica.AirfieldsandcitiesinEnglandwerenowunderferociousairattackfromtheGermanLuftwaffewhilewolf-packsofNaziU-boatsattemptedtoblockadetheBritishIsles.
ManyAmericans,however,stillquestionedthewisdomandnecessityofdirectU.S.involvementintheEuropeanWar.Pacifistsentimentwasgrowing,whileatthesametimeFascismwassometimesreferredtoasthe"waveofthefuture"byrespectedAmericans,amidtheonslaughtofeffectiveanti-democraticFascistpropaganda.
Inthisspeech,HaroldIckescountersthatpropaganda,defineswhatitmeanstobeafreeAmerican,andoffersabluntassessmentoftheperilousfuturetheU.S.wouldfacestandingaloneagainstavictoriousHitler.
HaroldIckes:
Iwanttoaskafewsimplequestions.AndthenIshallanswerthem.
Whathashappenedtoourvauntedidealism?Whyhavesomeofusbeenbehavinglikescaredchickens?Whereisthemillion-throated,democraticvoiceofAmerica?
Foryearsithasbeendinnedintousthatweareaweaknation;thatweareaninefficientpeople;thatwearesimple-minded.Foryearswehavebeentoldthatwearebeaten,decayed,andthatnopartoftheworldbelongstousanylonger.
Someamongstushavefallenforthiscarefullypickledtripe.Someamongstushavefallenforthiscalculatedpoison.Someamongstushavebeguntopreachthatthe"waveofthefuture"haspassedoverusandleftusawet,deadfish.
Theyshout--frompublicplatformsinprintedpages,throughthemicrophones--thatitisfutiletoopposethe"waveofthefuture."TheycrythatweAmericans,wefreeAmericansnourishedonMagnaCartaandtheDeclarationofIndependence,holdmoth-eatenideas.Theyexclaimthatthereisnoroomforfreemenintheworldanymoreandthatonlytheslaveswillinherittheearth.America--theAmericaofWashingtonandJeffersonandLincolnandWaltWhitman--theysay,iswaitingfortheundertakerandallthehopesandaspirationsthathavegoneintothemakingofAmericaaredeadtoo.
However,myfellowcitizens,thisisnottherealpointofthestory.Therealpoint--theshamefulpoint--isthatmanyofusarelisteningtothemandsomeofusalmostbelievethem.
IsaythatitistimeforthegreatAmericanpeopletoraiseitsvoiceandcryoutinmightytriumphwhatitistobeanAmerican.AndwhyitisthatonlyAmericans,withtheaidofourbraveallies--yes,let''''scallthem"allies"--theBritish,canandwillbuildtheonlyfutureworthhaving.Imeanafuture,notofconcentrationcamps,notofphysicaltortureandmentalstraitjackets,notofsawdustbreadorofsawdustCaesars--Imeanafuturewhenfreemenwilllivefreelivesindignityandinsecurity.
Thistideofthefuture,thedemocraticfuture,isours.Itisoursifweshowourselvesworthyofourcultureandofourheritage.
Butmakenomistakeaboutit;thetideofthedemocraticfutureisnotliketheoceantide--regular,relentless,andinevitable.Nothinginhumanaffairsismechanicalorinevitable.NorareAmericansmechanical.Theyareveryhumanindeed.
WhatconstitutesanAmerican?Notcolornorracenorreligion.Notthepedigreeofhisfamilynortheplaceofhisbirth.Notthecoincidenceofhiscitizenship.Nothissocialstatusnorhisbankaccount.Nothistradenorhisprofession.AnAmericanisonewholovesjusticeandbelievesinthedignityofman.AnAmericanisonewhowillfightforhisfreedomandthatofhisneighbor.AnAmericanisonewhowillsacrificeproperty,easeandsecurityinorderthatheandhischildrenmayretaintherightsoffreemen.AnAmericanisoneinwhoseheartisengravedtheimmortalsecondsentenceoftheDeclarationofIndependence.
Americanshavealwaysknownhowtofightfortheirrightsandtheirwayoflife.Americansarenotafraidtofight.Theyfightjoyouslyinajustcause.
WeAmericansknowthatfreedom,likepeace,isindivisible.Wecannotretainourlibertyifthree-fourthsoftheworldisenslaved.Brutality,injusticeandslavery,ifpracticedasdictatorswouldhavethem,universallyandsystematically,inthelongrunwoulddestroyusassurelyasafireraginginournearbyneighbor''''shousewouldburnoursifwedidn''''thelptoputouthis.
Ifwearetoretainourownfreedom,wemustdoeverythingwithinourpowertoaidBritain.Wemustalsodoeverythingtorestoretotheconqueredpeoplestheirfreedom.ThismeanstheGermanstoo.
Suchaprogram,ifyoustoptothink,isselfishnessonourpart.Itisthesortofenlightenedselfishnessthatmakesthewheelsofhistorygoaround.Itisthesortofenlightenedselfishnessthatwinsvictories.
Doyouknowwhy?Becausewecannotliveintheworldalone,withoutfriendsandwithoutallies.IfBritainshouldbedefeated,thenthetotalitarianundertakerwillpreparetohangcrepeonthedoorofourownindependence.
Perhapsyouwonderhowthiscouldcomeabout?Perhapsyouhaveheard"them"--thewaversofthefuture--cry,withcalculatedmalice,thatevenifBritainweredefeatedwecouldlivealoneanddefendourselvessinglehanded,evenagainstthewholeworld.
Itellyouthatthisisacoldbloodedlie.
Wewouldbealoneintheworld,facinganunscrupulousmilitary-economicblocthatwoulddominateallofEurope,allofAfrica,mostofAsia,andperhapsevenRussiaandSouthAmerica.Eventodothat,wewouldhavetospendmostofournationalincomeontanksandgunsandplanesandships.Norwouldthisbeall.Wewouldhavetoliveperpetuallyasanarmedcamp,maintainingahugestandingarmy,agiganticairforce,twovastnavies.Andwecouldnotdothiswithoutendangeringourfreedom,ourdemocracy,ourwayoflife.
PerhapssuchistheAmerica"they"--thewaversofthefuture--foresee.PerhapssuchistheAmericathatacertainaviator,withhiscontemptfordemocracy,wouldprefer.PerhapssuchistheAmericathatacertainSenatordesires.PerhapssuchistheAmericathatacertainmailorderexecutivelongsfor.
Butaperpetuallymilitarized,isolatedandimpoverishedAmericaisnottheAmericathatourfatherscameheretobuild.
ItisnottheAmericathathasbeenthedreamandthehopeofcountlessgenerationsinallpartsoftheworld.
ItisnottheAmericathatonehundredandthirtymillionofuswouldcaretolivein.
ThecontinuedsecurityofourcountrydemandsthatweaidtheenslavedmillionsofEurope--yes,evenofGermany--towinbacktheirlibertyandindependence.Iamconvincedthatifwedonotembarkuponsuchaprogramwewillloseourownfreedom.
Weshouldbeclearonthispoint.Whatisconvulsingtheworldtodayisnotmerelyanotherold-fashionedwar.Itisacounterrevolutionagainstourideasandideals,againstoursenseofjusticeandourhumanvalues.
munism,fascism,anddemocracyarestrugglingforsocial-economic-politicalworldcontrol.Astheconflictsharpens,itbecomesclearthattheothertwo,fascismandcommunism,aremergingintoone.Theyhaveonecommonenemy,democracy.Theyhaveonecommongoal,thedestructionofdemocracy.
Thisiswhythiswarisnotanordinarywar.Itisnotaconflictformarketsorterritories.Itisadesperatestruggleforthepossessionofthesoulsofmen.
ThisiswhytheBritisharenotfightingforthemselvesalone.Theyarefightingtopreservefreedomformankind.Forthemoment,thebattlegroundistheBritishIsles.Buttheyarefightingourwar;theyarethefirstsoldiersintrenchesthatarealsoourfront-linetrenches.
Inthisworldwarofideasandofloyaltieswebelieversindemocracymustdotwothings.Wemustuniteourforcestoformonegreatdemocraticinternational.Wemustofferaclearprogramtofreedom-lovingpeoplesthroughouttheworld.
Freedom-lovingmenandwomenineverylandmustorganizeandtightentheirranks.Themasseseverywheremustbehelpedtofighttheiroppressorsandconquerors.
We,free,democraticAmericansareinapositiontohelp.Weknowthatthespiritoffreedomneverdies.Weknowthatmenhavefoughtandbledforfreedomsincetimeimmemorial.Werealizethattheliberty-lovingGermanpeopleareonlytemporarilyenslaved.WedonotdoubtthattheItalianpeoplearelookingforwardtotheappearanceofanotherGaribaldi.WeknowhowthePoleshaveforcenturiesmaintainedaheroicresistanceagainsttyranny.WerememberthebravestruggleoftheHungariansunderKossuthandotherleaders.WerecalltheheroicfigureofMasarykandthegallantfightforfreedomoftheCzechpeople.ThestoryoftheYugoslavs'''',especiallytheSerbs''''blowsforlibertyandindependenceisasagaofextraordinaryheroism.TheGreekswillstandagainatThermopylae,astheyhaveinthepast.TheannalsofourAmericansister-republics,too,aregloriouswithfreedom-inspiringexploits.ThenoblefigureofSimonBolivar,thegreatSouthAmericanliberator,hasnaturallybeencomparedwiththatofGeorgeWashington.
No,libertyneverdies.世界秘书网版权所有TheGenghisKhanscomeandgo.TheAttilascomeandgo.TheHitlersflashandsputterout.Butfreedomendures.
DestroyawholegenerationofthosewhohaveknownhowtowalkwithheadserectinGod''''sfreeair,andthenextgenerationwillriseagainsttheoppressorsandrestorefreedom.TodayinEurope,theNaziAttilamaygloatthathehasdestroyeddemocracy.Heiswrong.InsmallfarmhousesalloverCentralEurope,intheshopsofGermanyandItaly,onthedocksofHollandandBelgium,freedomstilllivesintheheartsofmen.Itwillendurelikeahardytreegoneintothewintertime,awaitingthespring.
And,likespring,spreadingfromtheSouthintoScandinavia,thedemocraticrevolutionwillcome.Andmenwithdemocraticheartswillexperiencecomradeshipacrossartificialboundaries.
Thesemenandwomen,hundredsofmillionsofthem,nowinbondageorthreatenedwithslavery,areourcomradesandourallies.Theyareonlywaitingforourleadershipandourencouragement,forthesparkthatwecansupply.
Thesehundredsofmillions,ofliberty-lovingpeople,nowoppressed,constitutethegreatestsixthcolumninhistory.TheyhavethewilltodestroytheNazigangsters.
Wehavealwayshelpedinstrugglesforhumanfreedom.Andwewillhelpagain.Butourhundredsofmillionsofliberty-lovingallieswoulddespairifwedidnotprovideaidandencouragement.Thequickerwehelpthemthesoonerthisdreadfulrevolutionwillbeover.Wecannot,wemustnot,wedarenotdelaymuchlonger.
ThefightforBritainisinitscrucialstages.WemustgivetheBritisheverythingwehave.Andbyeverything,Imeaneverythingneededtobeatthelifeoutofourcommonenemy.
Thesecondstepmustbetoaidandencourageourfriendsandallieseverywhere.AndbyeverywhereImeanEuropeandAsiaandAfricaandAmerica.
Andfinally,themostimportantofall,weAmericansmustgirdspirituallyforthebattle.Wemustdispelthefogofuncertaintyandvacillation.Wemustgreetwithraucouslaughterthecorrodingargumentsofourappeasersandfascists.Theydoubtdemocracy.Weaffirmittriumphantlysothatalltheworldmayhear:
HereinAmericawehavesomethingsoworthlivingforthatitisworthdyingfor!Theso-called"waveofthefuture"isbuttheslimybackwashofthepast.Wehavenotheavedfromournecksthetyrant''''scrushingheel,onlytostretchournecksoutagainforitsweight.Notonlywillwefightfordemocracy,wewillmakeitmoreworthfightingfor.Underourfreeinstitutions,wewillworkforthegoodofmankind,includingHitler''''svictimsinGermany,sothatallmayhaveplentyandsecurity.
WeAmericandemocratsknowthatwhengoodwillprevailsamongmentherewillbeaworldofplentyandaworldofsecurity.
InthewordsofWinstonChurchill,"Arewedownhearted,"No,wearcnot!Butsomeoneisdownhearted!WitnesstheterrifiedflightofHess,Hitler''''sNumberThreeMan.Andlistentothis--listencarefully:
"TheBritishnationcanbecountedupontocarrythroughtovictoryanystrugglethatitonceentersuponnomatterhowlongsuchastrugglemaylastorhowevergreatthesacrificesthatmaybenecessaryorwhateverthemeansthathavetobeemployed;andallthiseventhoughtheactualmilitaryequipmentathandmaybeutterlyinadequatewhencomparedwiththatofothernations."
Doyouknowwhowrotethat?AdolfHitlerinMeinKampf.Anddoyouknowwhotookdownthatdictation?RudolfHess.
WewillhelptomakeHitler''''sprophecycometrue.WewillhelpbraveEnglanddrivebackthehordesfromHellwhobesiegeherandthenwewilljoinforthedestructionofsavageandblood-thirstydictatorseverywhere.Butwemustbefirmanddecisive.Wemustknowourwillandmakeitfelt.Andwemusthurry.
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