SoongMei演讲讲课讲稿

1、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,

2、moreespeciallythispresentaugustbodywhichwillhavesomuchtodoinshapingthedestinyoftheworld.InspeakingtoCongressIamliterallyspeakingtotheAmericanpeople.TheSeventy-seventhCongress,astheirrepresentatives,fulfilledtheobligationsandresponsibilitiesofitstrustbydeclaringwarontheaggressors.Thatpartofthedutyoft

3、hepeoplesrepresentativeswasdischargedin1941.Thetasknowconfrontingyouistohelpwinthewarandtocreateandupholdalastingpeacewhichwilljustifythesacrificesandsufferingsofthevictimsofaggression.Beforeenlargingonthissubject,Ishouldliketotellyoualittleaboutmylongandvividlyinterestingtriptoyourcountryfrommyownl

4、andwhichhasbledandborneunflinchinglytheburdenofwarformorethan51/2years.Ishallnotdwell,however,uponthepartChinahasplayedinourunitedefforttofreemankindfrombrutalityandviolence.Ishalltrytoconveytoyou,howeverimperfectly,theimpressionsgainedduringthetrip.Firstofall,IwanttoassureyouthattheAmericanpeopleha

5、veeveryrighttobeproudoftheirfightingmeninsomanypartsoftheworld.Iamparticularlythinkingofthoseofyourboysinthefar-flung,ut-of-the-waystationsandareaswherelifeisattendedbydrearydrabnessthisbecausetheirdutyisnotoneofspectacularperformanceandtheyarenotbuoyedupbyexcitementofbattle.Theyarecalledupon,dayaft

6、ercolorlessday,toperformroutinedutiessuchassafeguardingdefensesandpreparingforpossibleenemyaction.Ithasbeensaid,andIfindittruefrompersonalexperience,thatitiseasiertoriskoneslifeonthebattlefieldthanitistoperformcustomaryhumbleandhumdrumdutieswhich,however,arejustasnecessarytowinningthewar.Someofyourt

7、roopsarestationedinisolatedspotsquiteoutofreachofordinarycommunications.Someofyourboyshavehadtoflyhundredsofhoursovertheseafromanimprovisedairfieldinquestsoftendisappointinglyfruitless,ofenemysubmarines.They,andothers,havetostandthemonotonyofwaitingjustwaiting.But,asItoldthem,truepatriotismliesinpos

8、sessingthemoraleandphysicalstaminatoperformfaithfullyandconscientiouslythedailytaskssothatinthesumtotaltheweakestlinkisthestrongest.Yoursoldiershaveshownconclusivelythattheyareablestoicallytoendurehomesickness,theglaringdryness,andscorchingheatoftheTropics,andkeepthemselvesfitandinexcellentfightingt

9、rim.Theyareamongsttheunsungheroesofthiswar,andeverythingpossibletolightentheirtediumandbuoyuptheirmoraleshouldbedone.Thatsacreddutyisyours.TheAmericanArmyisbetterfedthananyarmyintheworld.Thisdoesnotmean,however,thattheycanliveindefinitelyoncannedfoodwithouthavingtheeffectstellonthem.Theseadmittedlya

10、retheminorhardshipsofwar,especiallywhenwepausetoconsiderthatinmanypartsoftheworld,starvationprevails.Butpeculiarlyenough,oftentimesitisnotthemajorproblemsofexistencewhichirkamanssoul;itisratherthepinpricks,especiallythoseincidentaltoalifeofdeadlysameness,withtempersfrayedoutandnervoussystemstorntosh

11、reds.ThesecondimpressionofmytripisthatAmericaisnotonlythecauldronofdemocracy,buttheincubatorofdemocraticprinciples.AtsomeoftheplacesIvisited,Imetthecrewsofyourairbases.ThereIfoundfirstgenerationGermans,Italians,Frenchmen,Poles,Czechoslovakians,andothernationals.Someofthemhadaccentssothickthat,ifsuch

12、athingwerepossible,onecouldnotcutthemwithabutterknife.ButtheretheywereallAmericans,alldevotedtothesameideals,allworkingforthesamecauseandunitedbythesamehighpurpose.Nosuspicionorrivalryexistedbetweenthem.Thisincreasedmybeliefandfaiththatdevotiontocommonprincipleseliminatesdifferencesinrace,andthatide

13、ntityofidealsisthestrongestpossiblesolventofracialdissimilarities.Ihavereachedyourcountry,therefore,withnomisgivings,butwithmybeliefthattheAmericanpeoplearebuildingandcarryingoutatruepatternoftheNationconceivedbyyourforebears,strengthenedandconfirmed.You,asepresentativesoftheAmericanpeople,havebefor

14、eyouthegloriousopportunityofcarryingonthepioneerworkofyourancestors,beyondthefrontiersofphysicalandgeographicallimitations.Theirbrawnandthewsbravedundauntedlyalmostunbelievablehardshipstoopenupanewcontinent.Themodernworldlaudsthemfortheirvigorandintensityofpurpose,andfortheiraccomplishment.Yourhavet

15、odaybeforeyoutheimmeasurablygreateropportunitytoimplementthesesameidealsandtohelpbringabouttheliberationofmansspiritineverypartoftheworld.Inordertoaccomplishthispurpose,weoftheUnitedNationsmustnowsoprosecutethewarthatvictorywillbeoursdecisivelyandwithallgoodspeed.Sun-tse,thewell-knownChinesestrategi

16、stsaid,“Inordertowin,knowthyselfandthyenemy.”Wehavealsothesaying:“Ittakeslittleefforttowatchtheotherfellowcarrytheload.”Inspiteoftheseteachingsfromawiseoldpast,whicharesharedbyeverynation,therehasbeenatendencytobelittlethestrengthofouropponents.WhenJapanthrusttotalwaronChinain1937militaryexpertsofev

17、erynationdidnotgiveChinaevenaghostofachance.ButwhenJapanfailedtobringChinacringingtoherkneesasshevaunted,theworldtooksolaceinthisphenomenonbydeclaringthattheyhadoverestimatedJapansmilitarymight.Nevertheless,whenthegreedyflamesofwarinexorablyspreadinthePacificfollowingtheperfidiousattackonPearlHarbor

18、,Malaya,andlandsinandaroundtheChinaSea,andoneafteranotheroftheseplacesfell,thependulumswungtotheotherextreme.DoubtsandfearsliftedtheiruglyheadsandtheworldbegantothinkthattheJapanesewereNietzscheansupermen,superiorinintellectandphysicalprowess,abeliefwhichtheGobineausandtheHoustonChamberlainsandtheir

19、aptpupils,theNaziracists,hadpropoundedabouttheNordics.Again,nowtheprevailingopinionseemstoconsiderthedefeatoftheJapaneseasofrelativeunimportanceandthatHitlerisourfirstconcern.Thisisnotborneoutbyactualfacts,norisittotheinterestsoftheUnitedNationsasawholetoallowJapantocontinuenotonlyasavitalpotentialt

20、hreatbutasawaitingswordofDamocles,readytodescendatamomentsnotice.LetusnotforgetthatJapaninheroccupiedareastodayhasgreaterresourcesathercommandthanGermany.LetusnotforgetthatthelongerJapanisleftinundisputedpossessionoftheseresources,thestrongershemustbecome.EachpassingdaytakesmoretollinlivesofbothAmer

21、icansandChinese.LetusnotforgetthattheJapaneseareanintransigentpeople.Letusnotforgetthatduringthefirst41/2yearsoftotalaggressionChinahasborneJapanssadisticfuryunaidedandalone.ThevictorieswonbytheUnitedSatesNavyatMidwayandtheCoralSeaaredoubtlessstepsintherightdirectiontheyaremerelystepsintherightdirec

22、tionforthemagnificentfightthatwaswagedatGuadalcanalduringthepast6monthsatteststothefactthatthedefeatoftheforcesofevilthoughlongandarduouswillfinallycometopass.ForhavewenotonthesideofrighteousnessandjusticestaunchalliesinGreatBritain,Russia,andotherbraveandindomitablepeoples?MeanwhiletheperiloftheJap

23、anesejuggernautremains.Japanesemilitarymightmustbedecimatedasafightingforcebeforeitsthreattocivilizationisremoved.WhentheSeventy-seventhCongressdeclaredwaragainstJapan,Germany,andItaly,Congressforthemomenthaddoneitswork.Itnowremainsforyou,thepresentRepresentativesoftheAmericanpeople,topointthewaytow

24、inthewar,tohelpconstructaworldinwhichallpeoplesmayhenceforthliveinharmonyandpeace.MayInothopethatitistheresolveofCongresstodevoteitselftothecreationofthepost-warworld?Todedicateitselftothepreparationforthebrighterfuturethatastrickenworldsoeagerlyawaits?Weofthisgenerationwhoareprivilegedtohelpmakeabe

25、tterworldforourselvesandforposterityshouldrememberthat,whilewemustnotbevisionary,wemusthavevisionsothatpeaceshouldnotbepunitiveinspiritandshouldnotbeprovincialornationalisticorevencontinentalinconcept,butuniversalinscopeandhumanitarianinaction,formodernsciencehassoannihilateddistancethatwhataffectso

26、nepeoplemustofnecessityaffectallotherpeoples.Theterm“handsandfeet”isoftenusedinChinatosignifytherelationshipbetweenbrothers.Sinceinternationalinterdependenceisnowsouniversallyrecognized,canwenotalsosaythatallnationsshouldbecomemembersofonecorporatebody?The160yearsoftraditionalfriendshipbetweenourtwo

27、greatpeoples,ChinaandAmerica,whichhasneverbeenmarredbymisunderstandings,isunsurpassedintheannalsoftheworld.IcanalsoassureyouthatChinaiseagerandreadytocooperatewithyouandotherpeoplestolayatrueandlastingfoundationforasaneandprogressiveworldsocietywhichwouldmakeitimpossibleforanyarrogantorpredatoryneighbortoplungefuturegenerationsintoanotherorgyofblood.InthepastChinahasnotcomputedthecosttohermanpowerinherfightagainstaggression,althoughshewellrealizedthatmanpoweristherealwealthofanationandittakesgenerationstogrowit.Shehasbeensoberlyconsciouso