SoongMei演讲讲课讲稿.doc

Good is good, but better carries it.精益求精，善益求善。SoongMei演讲-SoongMei-ling,“AddressestotheHouseofRespresentativesandtotheSenate,”February18,1943ReleaseDate:02/18/1943宋美龄1943年2月18日在美国众议院的演说Mr.SpeakerandMembersoftheHouseofRepresentativesoftheUnitedStates:AtanytimeitwouldbeaprivilegeformetoaddressCongress,moreespeciallythispresentaugustbodywhichwillhavesomuchtodoinshapingthedestinyoftheworld.InspeakingtoCongressIamliterallyspeakingtotheAmericanpeople.TheSeventy-seventhCongress,astheirrepresentatives,fulfilledtheobligationsandresponsibilitiesofitstrustbydeclaringwarontheaggressors.Thatpartofthedutyofthepeoplesrepresentativeswasdischargedin1941.Thetasknowconfrontingyouistohelpwinthewarandtocreateandupholdalastingpeacewhichwilljustifythesacrificesandsufferingsofthevictimsofaggression.Beforeenlargingonthissubject,Ishouldliketotellyoualittleaboutmylongandvividlyinterestingtriptoyourcountryfrommyownlandwhichhasbledandborneunflinchinglytheburdenofwarformorethan51/2years.Ishallnotdwell,however,uponthepartChinahasplayedinourunitedefforttofreemankindfrombrutalityandviolence.Ishalltrytoconveytoyou,howeverimperfectly,theimpressionsgainedduringthetrip.Firstofall,IwanttoassureyouthattheAmericanpeoplehaveeveryrighttobeproudoftheirfightingmeninsomanypartsoftheworld.Iamparticularlythinkingofthoseofyourboysinthefar-flung,ut-of-the-waystationsandareaswherelifeisattendedbydrearydrabnessthisbecausetheirdutyisnotoneofspectacularperformanceandtheyarenotbuoyedupbyexcitementofbattle.Theyarecalledupon,dayaftercolorlessday,toperformroutinedutiessuchassafeguardingdefensesandpreparingforpossibleenemyaction.Ithasbeensaid,andIfindittruefrompersonalexperience,thatitiseasiertoriskoneslifeonthebattlefieldthanitistoperformcustomaryhumbleandhumdrumdutieswhich,however,arejustasnecessarytowinningthewar.Someofyourtroopsarestationedinisolatedspotsquiteoutofreachofordinarycommunications.Someofyourboyshavehadtoflyhundredsofhoursovertheseafromanimprovisedairfieldinquestsoftendisappointinglyfruitless,of enemysubmarines.They,andothers,havetostandthemonotonyofwaitingjustwaiting.But,asItoldthem,truepatriotismliesinpossessingthemoraleandphysicalstaminatoperformfaithfullyandconscientiouslythedailytaskssothatinthesumtotaltheweakestlinkisthestrongest.Yoursoldiershaveshownconclusivelythattheyareablestoicallytoendurehomesickness,theglaringdryness,andscorchingheatoftheTropics,andkeepthemselvesfitandinexcellentfightingtrim.Theyareamongsttheunsungheroesofthiswar,andeverythingpossibletolightentheirtediumandbuoyuptheirmoraleshouldbedone.Thatsacreddutyisyours.TheAmericanArmyisbetterfedthananyarmyintheworld.Thisdoesnotmean,however,thattheycanliveindefinitelyoncannedfoodwithouthavingtheeffectstellonthem.Theseadmittedlyaretheminorhardshipsofwar,especiallywhenwepausetoconsiderthatinmanypartsoftheworld,starvationprevails.Butpeculiarlyenough,oftentimesitisnotthemajorproblemsofexistencewhichirkamanssoul;itisratherthepinpricks,especiallythoseincidentaltoalifeofdeadlysameness,withtempersfrayedoutandnervoussystemstorntoshreds.ThesecondimpressionofmytripisthatAmericaisnotonlythecauldronofdemocracy,buttheincubatorofdemocraticprinciples.AtsomeoftheplacesIvisited,Imetthecrewsofyourairbases.ThereIfoundfirstgenerationGermans,Italians,Frenchmen,Poles,Czechoslovakians,andothernationals.Someofthemhadaccentssothickthat,ifsuchathingwerepossible,onecouldnotcutthemwithabutterknife.ButtheretheywereallAmericans,alldevotedtothesameideals,allworkingforthesamecauseandunitedbythesamehighpurpose.Nosuspicionorrivalryexistedbetweenthem.Thisincreasedmybeliefandfaiththatdevotiontocommonprincipleseliminatesdifferencesinrace,andthatidentityofidealsisthestrongestpossiblesolventofracialdissimilarities.Ihavereachedyourcountry,therefore,withnomisgivings,butwithmybeliefthattheAmericanpeoplearebuildingandcarryingoutatruepatternoftheNationconceivedbyyourforebears,strengthenedandconfirmed.You,asepresentativesoftheAmericanpeople,havebeforeyouthegloriousopportunityofcarryingonthepioneerworkofyourancestors,beyondthefrontiersofphysicalandgeographicallimitations.Theirbrawnandthewsbravedundauntedlyalmostunbelievablehardshipstoopenupanewcontinent.Themodernworldlaudsthemfortheirvigorandintensityofpurpose,andfortheiraccomplishment.Yourhavetodaybeforeyoutheimmeasurablygreateropportunitytoimplementthesesameidealsandtohelpbringabouttheliberationofmansspiritineverypartoftheworld.Inordertoaccomplishthispurpose,weoftheUnitedNationsmustnowsoprosecutethewarthatvictorywillbeoursdecisivelyandwithallgoodspeed.Sun-tse,thewell-knownChinesestrategistsaid,“Inordertowin,knowthyselfandthyenemy.”Wehavealsothesaying:“Ittakeslittleefforttowatchtheotherfellowcarrytheload.”Inspiteoftheseteachingsfromawiseoldpast,whicharesharedbyeverynation,therehasbeenatendencytobelittlethestrengthofouropponents.WhenJapanthrusttotalwaronChinain1937militaryexpertsofeverynationdidnotgiveChinaevenaghostofachance.ButwhenJapanfailedtobringChinacringingtoherkneesasshevaunted,theworldtooksolaceinthisphenomenonbydeclaringthattheyhadoverestimatedJapansmilitarymight.Nevertheless,whenthegreedyflamesofwarinexorablyspreadinthePacificfollowingtheperfidiousattackonPearlHarbor,Malaya,andlandsinandaroundtheChinaSea,andoneafteranotheroftheseplacesfell,thependulumswungtotheotherextreme.DoubtsandfearsliftedtheiruglyheadsandtheworldbegantothinkthattheJapanesewereNietzscheansupermen,superiorinintellectandphysicalprowess,abeliefwhichtheGobineausandtheHoustonChamberlainsandtheiraptpupils,theNaziracists,hadpropoundedabouttheNordics.Again,nowtheprevailingopinionseemstoconsiderthedefeatoftheJapaneseasofrelativeunimportanceandthatHitlerisourfirstconcern.Thisisnotborneoutbyactualfacts,norisittotheinterestsoftheUnitedNationsasawholetoallowJapantocontinuenotonlyasavitalpotentialthreatbutasawaitingswordofDamocles,readytodescendatamomentsnotice.LetusnotforgetthatJapaninheroccupiedareastodayhasgreaterresourcesathercommandthanGermany.LetusnotforgetthatthelongerJapanisleftinundisputedpossessionoftheseresources,thestrongershemustbecome.EachpassingdaytakesmoretollinlivesofbothAmericansandChinese.LetusnotforgetthattheJapaneseareanintransigentpeople.Letusnotforgetthatduringthefirst41/2yearsoftotalaggressionChinahasborneJapanssadisticfuryunaidedandalone.ThevictorieswonbytheUnitedSatesNavyatMidwayandtheCoralSeaaredoubtlessstepsintherightdirectiontheyaremerelystepsintherightdirectionforthemagnificentfightthatwaswagedatGuadalcanalduringthepast6monthsatteststothefactthatthedefeatoftheforcesofevilthoughlongandarduouswillfinallycometopass.ForhavewenotonthesideofrighteousnessandjusticestaunchalliesinGreatBritain,Russia,andotherbraveandindomitablepeoples?MeanwhiletheperiloftheJapanesejuggernautremains.Japanesemilitarymightmustbedecimatedasafightingforcebeforeitsthreattocivilizationisremoved.WhentheSeventy-seventhCongressdeclaredwaragainstJapan,Germany,andItaly,Congressforthemomenthaddoneitswork.Itnowremainsforyou,thepresentRepresentativesoftheAmericanpeople,topointthewaytowinthewar,tohelpconstructaworldinwhichallpeoplesmayhenceforthliveinharmonyandpeace.MayInothopethatitistheresolveofCongresstodevoteitselftothecreationofthepost-warworld?Todedicateitselftothepreparationforthebrighterfuturethatastrickenworldsoeagerlyawaits?Weofthisgenerationwhoareprivilegedtohelpmakeabetterworldforourselvesandforposterityshouldrememberthat,whilewemustnotbevisionary,wemusthavevisionsothatpeaceshouldnotbepunitiveinspiritandshouldnotbeprovincialornationalisticorevencontinentalinconcept,butuniversalinscopeandhumanitarianinaction,formodernsciencehassoannihilateddistancethatwhataffectsonepeoplemustofnecessityaffectallotherpeoples.Theterm“handsandfeet”isoftenusedinChinatosignifytherelationshipbetweenbrothers.Sinceinternationalinterdependenceisnowsouniversallyrecognized,canwenotalsosaythatallnationsshouldbecomemembersofonecorporatebody?The160yearsoftraditionalfriendshipbetweenourtwogreatpeoples,ChinaandAmerica,whichhasneverbeenmarredbymisunderstandings,isunsurpassedintheannalsoftheworld.IcanalsoassureyouthatChinaiseagerandreadytocooperatewithyouandotherpeoplestolayatrueandlastingfoundationforasaneandprogressiveworldsocietywhichwouldmakeitimpossibleforanyarrogantorpredatoryneighbortoplungefuturegenerationsintoanotherorgyofblood.InthepastChinahasnotcomputedthecosttohermanpowerinherfightagainstaggression,althoughshewellrealizedthatmanpoweristherealwealthofanationandittakesgenerationstogrowit.Shehasbeensoberlyconsciousofherresponsibilitiesandhasnotconcernedherselfwithprivilegesandgainswhichshemighthaveobtainedthroughcompromiseofprinciples.Norwillshedemeanherselfandallsheholdsdeartothepracticeofthemarketplace.WeinChina,likeyou,wantabetterworld,notforourselvesalone,butforallmankind,andwemusthaveit.Itisnotenough,however,toproclaimouridealsoreventobeconvincedthatwehavethem.Inordertopreserve,uphold,andmaintainthem,therearetimeswhenweshouldthrowallwecherishintoourefforttofulfilltheseidealsevenattheriskoffailure.Theteachingsdrawnfromourlateleader,Dr.SunYat-sen,havegivenourpeoplethefortitudetocarryon.From51/2yearsofexperienceweinChinaareconvincedthatitisthebetterpartofwisdomnottoacceptfailureignominiously,buttoriskitgloriously.Weshallhavefaiththat,atthewritingofpeace,Americanandourothergallantallieswillnotbeobtundedbythemirageofcontingentreasonsofexpediency.Mansmettleistestedbothinadversityandinsuccess.Twiceisthistrueofthesoulofanation.-