美国人代表什么？

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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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