书城外语英语美文口袋书:文化篇
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第5章 Broadcast on Japanese Surrender——Harry S.Truman[4]

内容导读

世间没有比战争更为暴烈的摧毁人类文明的破坏形式了。每场战争都是人类苦难史中用无数牺牲和悲痛凝成的篇章。也每每是战争,考验了人类的信仰、尊严和奉献。哈里·杜鲁门在日本宣布投降时所作的广播演说便坚信,暴政永远压服不了人们追求自由的决心——这是世间最为强大和持久的力量。

英文正文

This is avictory of more than arms alone.This is avictory of liberty over tyranny.

From our war plants rolled the tanks and planes which blasted their way to the heart of our enemies;from our shipyards sprang the ships which bridged all the oceans of the world for our weapons and supplies;from our farms came the food and fibre for our armies and navies and for our Allies in all the corners of the earth;from our mines and factories came the raw materials and the finished products which gave us the equipment to overcome our enemies.

But back of it all were the will and spirit and determination of afree people—who know what freedom is,and who know that it is worth whatever price they had to pay to preserve it.

It was the spirit of liberty which gave us our armed strength and which made our men invincible in battle.We now know that that spirit of liberty,the freedom of the individual,and the personal dignity of man,are the strongest and toughest and most enduring forces in all the world.

And so on V-J Day,we take renewed faith and pride in our own way of life.We have had our day of rejoicing over this victory.We have had our day of prayer and devotion.Now let us set aside V-J Day as one of renewed consecration to the principles which have made us the strongest nation on earth and which,in this war,we have striven so mightily to preserve.

Those principles provide the faith,the hope and the opportunity which help men to improve themselves and their lot.Liberty does not make all men perfect nor all society secure.But it has provided more solid progress and happiness and decency for more people than any other philosophy of government in history.And this day has shown again that it provides the greatest strength and the greatest power which man has ever reached.

We know that under it we can meet the hard problems of peace which have come upon us.A free people with free Allies,who can develop an atomic bomb,can use the same skill and energy and determination to overcome all the difficulties ahead.

中文译文

日本投降日的广播演说——哈里·S·杜鲁门

这次胜利不仅是军事上的胜利。这是自由对暴政的胜利。

我们的兵工厂源源生产坦克、飞机,直捣敌人的心脏;我们的船坞源源制造出战舰,沟通世界各大洋,供应武器与装备;我们的农场生产出食物、纤维,供应我们海陆军以及世界各地的盟国;我们的矿山与工厂生产出各种原料与成品,装备我们,战胜敌人。

然而作为这一切的后盾是一个自由民族的意志、精神与决心。这个民族知道自由意味着什么,他们知道为了保持自由,值得付出任何代价。

正是这种自由精神给予我们武装力量,使士兵在战场上战无不胜。现在,我们知道,这种自由的精神、个人的自由以及人类的个人尊严是世界上最强大、最坚韧、最持久的力量。

在这太平洋战场胜利纪念日里,来源于我们生活方式的信念和骄傲得以振兴。我们终于得以为这胜利欢欣鼓舞,庆祝了充满祈祷和虔诚的日子。现在,让我们把它先放到一边,作为一份新的献礼,献给使我们在战争中成为地球上最强大国家的原则,那些令我们付出艰辛努力加以捍卫的原则。

这些原则给予人类信仰、希望和机会,能不断善其身、兴其邦。自由不能使所有人变成完人,也不能保证所有社会的安全。但和历史上各种治国哲学相比,自由为更多人带来实实在在的进步、幸福和尊严。今天这个日子再一次昭示,自由是人类能够获得的最强大的力量和实力。

我们知道,有了自由,就能面对任何艰难的和平问题。自由的民族和自由的盟友,创造了原子弹,也能用同样的技能、精力和决心克服任何艰难险阻。

词汇速记

blast v. 炸

spring v. 跳;跃

consecration n. 贡献;献祭仪式

mightily adv. 强烈地;非常地

美句欣赏

We now know that that spirit of liberty,the freedom of the individual,and the personal dignity of man,are the strongest and toughest and most enduring forces in all the world.现在,我们知道,这种自由的精神、个人的自由以及人类的个人尊严是世界上最强大、最坚韧、最持久的力量。