世界名人英语演讲稿(8)

the peoples of a number of countries of the world have recently had #p#副标题#e#totalitarian regimes forced upon them against their will. the government of the united states has made frequent protests against coercion and intimidation in violation of the yalta agreement in poland, rumania, and bulgaria. i must also state that in a number of other countries there have been similar developments.

at the present moment in world history nearly every nation must choose between alternative ways of life. the choice is too often not a free one. one way of life is based upon the will of the majority, and is distinguished by free institutions, representative government, free elections, guarantees of individual liberty, freedom of speech and religion, and freedom from political oppression. the second way of life is based upon the will of a minority forcibly imposed upon the majority. it relies upon terror and oppression, a controlled press and radio, fixed elections, and the suppression of personal freedoms.

i believe that it must be the policy of the united states to support free peoples who are resisting attempted subjugation by armed minorities or by outside pressures.

i believe that we must assist free peoples to work out their own destinies in their own way.

i believe that our help should be primarily through economic and financial aid which is essential to economic stability and orderly political processes.

the world is not static, and the status quo is not sacred. but we cannot allow changes in the status quo in violation of the charter of the united nations by such methods as coercion, or by such subterfuges as political infiltration. in helping free and independent nations to maintain their freedom, the united states will be giving effect to the principles of the charter of the united nations.

it is necessary only to glance at a map to realize that the survival and integrity of the greek nation are of grave importance in a much wider situation. if greece should fall under the control of an armed minority, the effect upon its neighbor, turkey, would be immediate and serious. confusion and disorder might well spread throughout the entire middle east. moreover, the disappearance of greece as an independent state would have a profound effect upon those countries in europe whose peoples are struggling against great difficulties to maintain their freedoms and their independence while they repair the damages of war.

it would be an unspeakable tragedy if these countries, which have struggled so long against overwhelming odds, should lose that victory for which they sacrificed so much. collapse of free institutions and loss of independence would be disastrous not only for them but for the world. discouragement and possibly failure would quickly be the lot of neighboring peoples striving to maintain their freedom and independence.

should we fail to aid greece and turkey in this fateful hour, the effect will be far reaching to the west as well as to the east.