罗斯福总统演讲The Four Freedoms.docx

罗斯福总统演讲The Four Freedoms.docx

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罗斯福总统演讲TheFourFreedoms

罗斯福总统演讲TheFourFreedoms

　　mr.president,mr.speaker,membersofthe77thcongress:

　　iaddressyou,themembersofthisnewcongress,atamomentunprecedentedinthehistoryoftheunion.iusetheword“unprecedented”becauseatnoprevioustimehasamericansecuritybeenasseriouslythreatenedfromwithoutasitistoday.

　　sincethepermanentformationofourgovernmentundertheconstitutionin1789,mostoftheperiodsofcrisisinourhistoryhaverelatedtoourdomesticaffairs.and,fortunately,onlyoneofthese--thefour-yearwarbetweenthestates--everthreatenedournationalunity.today,thankgod,130,000,000americansin48stateshaveforgottenpointsofthecompassinournationalunity.

　　itistruethatpriorto1914theunitedstatesoftenhasbeendisturbedbyeventsinothercontinents.wehaveevenengagedintwowarswitheuropeannationsandinanumberofundeclaredwarsinthewestindies,inthemediterraneanandinthepacific,forthemaintenanceofamericanrightsandfortheprinciplesofpeacefulcommerce.butinnocasehadaseriousthreatbeenraisedagainstournationalsafetyorourcontinuedindependence.

　　whatiseektoconveyisthehistorictruththattheunitedstatesasanationhasatalltimesmaintainedopposition--clear,definiteopposition--toanyattempttolockusinbehindanancientchinesewallwhiletheprocessionofcivilizationwentpast.today,thinkingofourchildrenandoftheirchildren,weopposeenforcedisolationforourselvesorforanyotherpartoftheamericas.

　　thatdeterminationofours,extendingoveralltheseyears,wasproved,forexample,intheearlydaysduringthequartercenturyofwarsfollowingthefrenchrevolution.whilethenapoleonicstrugglesdidthreateninterestsoftheunitedstatesbecauseofthefrenchfootholdinthewestindiesandinlouisiana,andwhileweengagedinthewarof1812tovindicateourrighttopeacefultrade,itisneverthelessclearthatneitherfrancenorgreatbritainnoranyothernationwasaimingatdominationofthewholeworld.

　　andinlikefashion,from1815to1914--ninety-nineyears--nosinglewarineuropeorinasiaconstitutedarealthreatagainstourfutureoragainstthefutureofanyotheramericannation.

　　exceptinthemaximilianinterludeinmexico,noforeignpowersoughttoestablishitselfinthishemisphere.andthestrengthofthebritishfleetintheatlantichasbeenafriendlystrength;itisstillafriendlystrength.

　　evenwhentheworldwarbrokeoutin1914,itseemedtocontainonlysmallthreatofdangertoourownamericanfuture.butastimewenton,asweremember,theamericanpeoplebegantovisualizewhatthedownfallofdemocraticnationsmightmeantoourowndemocracy.

　　weneednotoveremphasizeimperfectionsinthepeaceofversailles.weneednotharponfailureofthedemocraciestodealwithproblemsofworldreconstruction.weshouldrememberthatthepeaceof1919wasfarlessunjustthanthekindofpacificationwhichbeganevenbeforemunich,andwhichisbeingcarriedonundertheneworderoftyrannythatseekstospreadovereverycontinenttoday.theamericanpeoplehaveunalterablysettheirfacesagainstthattyranny.

　　isupposethateveryrealistknowsthatthedemocraticwayoflifeisatthismomentbeingdirectlyassailedineverypartoftheworld--assailedeitherbyarmsorbysecretspreadingofpoisonouspropagandabythosewhoseektodestroyunityandpromotediscordinnationsthatarestillatpeace.during16longmonthsthisassaulthasblottedoutthewholepatternofdemocraticlifeinanappallingnumberofindependentnations,greatandsmall.andtheassailantsarestillonthemarch,threateningothernations,greatandsmall.

　　therefore,asyourpresident,performingmyconstitutionaldutyto“givetothecongressinformationofthestateoftheunion,”ifinditunhappilynecessarytoreportthatthefutureandthesafetyofourcountryandofourdemocracyareoverwhelminglyinvolvedineventsfarbeyondourborders.

　　armeddefenseofdemocraticexistenceisnowbeinggallantlywagedinfourcontinents.ifthatdefensefails,allthepopulationandalltheresourcesofeuropeandasia,andafricaandaustral-asiawillbedominatedbyconquerors.andletusrememberthatthetotalofthosepopulationsinthosefourcontinents,thetotalofthosepopulationsandtheirresourcesgreatlyexceedthesumtotalofthepopulationandtheresourcesofthewholeofthewesternhemisphere--yes,manytimesover.

　　intimesliketheseitisimmature--and,incidentally,untrue--foranybodytobragthatanunpreparedamerica,single-handedandwithonehandtiedbehinditsback,canholdoffthewholeworld.

　　norealisticamericancanexpectfromadictator'speaceinternationalgenerosity,orreturnoftrueindependence,orworlddisarmament,orfreedom