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          美國人代表什么?

          前言:本站為你精心整理了美國人代表什么?范文,希望能為你的創作提供參考價值,我們的客服老師可以幫助你提供個性化的參考范文,歡迎咨詢。

          英語演講稿

          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.世界秘書網版權所有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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