《老兵不死》麥克阿瑟的告別演講

《老兵不死》——麥克阿瑟的告別演講

麥克阿瑟簡介:道格拉斯?麥克阿瑟(DouglasMacArthur)，美國陸軍五星上將。出生于阿肯色州小石城的軍人世家。1899年中學(xué)畢業(yè)后考入西點軍校，1903年以名列第一的優(yōu)異成績畢業(yè)，到工程兵部隊任職，并赴菲律賓執(zhí)勤。麥克阿瑟有過50年的軍事實踐經(jīng)驗，被美國國民稱之為“一代老兵”，而其自身的又曾是“美國最年輕的準將、西點軍校最年輕的校長、美國陸軍歷史上最年輕的陸軍參謀長”，憑借精妙的軍事謀略和敢戰(zhàn)敢勝的膽略，麥克阿瑟堪稱美國戰(zhàn)爭史上的奇才。提起這句話：“老兵永遠不死，只會慢慢凋零”(Oldsoldiersneverdie,theyjustfadeaway)，就不由得想起那個叼著玉米棒子煙斗的麥克阿瑟，和他在1951年4月19日被解職后在國會大廈發(fā)表的題為《老兵不死》的著名演講。演講全文如下:Oldsoldiersneverdie,theyjustfadeawayMr.President,Mr.Speaker,andDistinguishedMembersoftheCongress:Istandonthisrostrumwithasenseofdeephumilityandgreatpride--

humilityintheweightofthosegreatAmericanarchitectsofourhistory

whohavestoodherebeforeme;prideinthereflectionthatthishomeof

legislativedebaterepresentshumanlibertyinthepurestformyet

devised.Herearecenteredthehopesandaspirationsandfaithofthe

entirehumanrace.Idonotstandhereasadvocateforanypartisancause,fortheissuesarefundamentalandreachquitebeyondtherealmofpartisanconsideration.Theymustberesolvedonthehighestplaneofnationalinterestifourcourseistoprovesoundandourfutureprotected.Itrust,therefore,thatyouwilldomethejusticeofreceivingthatwhichIhavetosayassolelyexpressingtheconsideredviewpointofafellowAmerican.Iaddressyouwithneitherrancornorbitternessinthefadingtwilightoflife,withbutonepurposeinmind:toservemycountry.Theissuesareglobalandsointerlockedthattoconsidertheproblemsofonesector,oblivioustothoseofanother,isbuttocourtdisasterforthewhole.WhileAsiaiscommonlyreferredtoastheGatewaytoEurope,itisnolesstruethatEuropeistheGatewaytoAsia,andthebroadinfluenceoftheonecannotfailtohaveitsimpactupontheother.Therearethosewhoclaimourstrengthisinadequatetoprotectonbothfronts,thatwecannotdivideoureffort.Icanthinkofnogreaterexpressionofdefeatism.Ifapotentialenemycandividehisstrengthontwofronts,itisforustocounterhiseffort.TheCommunistthreatisaglobalone.Itssuccessfuladvanceinonesectorthreatensthedestructionofeveryothersector.YoucannotappeaseorotherwisesurrendertocommunisminAsia

withoutsimultaneouslyunderminingoureffortstohaltitsadvanceinEurope.Beyondpointingoutthesegeneraltruisms,IshallconfinemydiscussiontothegeneralareasofAsia.Beforeonemayobjectivelyassessthe

situationnowexistingthere,hemustcomprehendsomethingofAsia's

pastandtherevolutionarychangeswhichhavemarkedhercourseupto

thepresent.Longexploitedbytheso-calledcolonialpowers,withlittle

opportunitytoachieveanydegreeofsocialjustice,individualdignity,or

ahigherstandardoflifesuchasguidedourownnobleadministrationin

thePhilippines,thepeoplesofAsiafoundtheiropportunityinthewar

justpasttothrowofftheshacklesofcolonialismandnowseethedawn

ofnewopportunity,aheretoforeunfeltdignity,andtheself-respectof

politicalfreedom.Musteringhalfoftheearth'spopulation,and60percentofitsnatural

resourcesthesepeoplesarerapidlyconsolidatinganewforce,both

moralandmaterial,withwhichtoraisethelivingstandardanderect

adaptationsofthedesignofmodernprogresstotheirowndistinct

culturalenvironments.Whetheroneadherestotheconceptof

colonizationornot,thisisthedirectionofAsianprogressanditmaynot

bestopped.Itisacorollarytotheshiftoftheworldeconomicfrontiersas

thewholeepicenterofworldaffairsrotatesbacktowardtheareawhence

itstarted.Inthissituation,itbecomesvitalthatourowncountryorientitspolicies

inconsonancewiththisbasicevolutionaryconditionratherthanpursue

acourseblindtotherealitythatthecolonialeraisnowpastandtheAsianpeoplescovettherighttoshapetheirownfreedestiny.Whatthey

seeknowisfriendlyguidance,understanding,andsupport--not

imperiousdirection--thedignityofequalityandnottheshameof

subjugation.Theirpre-warstandardoflife,pitifullylow,isinfinitelylower

nowinthedevastationleftinwar'swake.Worldideologiesplaylittlepart

inAsianthinkingandarelittleunderstood.Whatthepeoplesstriveforis

theopportunityforalittlemorefoodintheirstomachs,alittlebetter

clothingontheirbacks,alittlefirmerroofovertheirheads,andthe

realizationofthenormalnationalisturgeforpoliticalfreedom.These

political-socialconditionshavebutanindirectbearinguponourown

nationalsecurity,butdoformabackdroptocontemporaryplanning

whichmustbethoughtfullyconsideredifwearetoavoidthepitfallsof

unrealism.OfmoredirectandimmediatelybearinguponournationalsecurityarethechangeswroughtinthestrategicpotentialofthePacificOceaninthecourseofthepastwar.PriortheretothewesternstrategicfrontieroftheUnitedStateslayontheliterallineoftheAmericas,withanexposedislandsalientextendingoutthroughHawaii,Midway,andGuamtothe

Philippines.Thatsalientprovednotanoutpostofstrengthbutanavenue

ofweaknessalongwhichtheenemycouldanddidattack.ThePacificwasapotentialareaofadvanceforanypredatoryforceintentuponstrikingattheborderinglandareas.AllthiswaschangedbyourPacificvictory.OurstrategicfrontierthenshiftedtoembracetheentirePacificOcean,whichbecameavastmoattoprotectusaslongasweheldit.Indeed,itactsasaprotectiveshieldforalloftheAmericasandallfreelandsofthePacificOceanarea.WecontrolittotheshoresofAsiabyachainofislandsextendinginanarcfromtheAleutianstotheMariannasheldbyusandourfreeallies.FromthisislandchainwecandominatewithseaandairpowereveryAsiaticportfromVladivostoktoSingapore--withseaandairpowereveryport,asIsaid,fromVladivostokto

Singapore--andpreventanyhostilemovementintothePacific.AnypredatoryattackfromAsiamustbeanamphibiouseffort.*No

amphibiousforcecanbesuccessfulwithoutcontrolofthesealanesand

theairoverthoselanesinitsavenueofadvance.Withnavalandair

supremacyandmodestgroundelementstodefendbases,anymajor

attackfromcontinentalAsiatowardusorourfriendsinthePacificwould

bedoomedtofailure.Undersuchconditions,thePacificnolongerrepresentsmenacing

avenuesofapproachforaprospectiveinvader.Itassumes,instead,the

friendlyaspectofapeacefullake.Ourlineofdefenseisanaturaloneand

canbemaintainedwithaminimumofmilitaryeffortandexpense.It

envisionsnoattackagainstanyone,nordoesitprovidethebastions

essentialforoffensiveoperations,butproperlymaintained,wouldbean

invincibledefenseagainstaggression.Theholdingofthisliteraldefense

lineinthewesternPacificisentirelydependentuponholdingall

segmentsthereof;foranymajorbreachofthatlinebyanunfriendly

powerwouldrendervulnerabletodeterminedattackeveryothermajor

segment.ThisisamilitaryestimateastowhichIhaveyettofindamilitaryleader

whowilltakeexception.Forthatreason,Ihavestronglyrecommendedin

thepast,asamatterofmilitaryurgency,thatundernocircumstances

mustFormosafallunderCommunistcontrol.Suchaneventualitywould

atoncethreatenthefreedomofthePhilippinesandthelossofJapan

andmightwellforceourwesternfrontierbacktothecoastofCalifornia,

OregonandWashington.TounderstandthechangeswhichnowappearupontheChinesemainland,onemustunderstandthechangesinChinesecharacterandcultureoverthepast50years.China,upto50yearsago,wascompletelynon-homogenous,beingcompartmentedintogroupsdividedagainsteachother.Thewar-makingtendencywasalmostnon-existent,astheystillfollowedthetenetsoftheConfucianidealofpacifistculture.Attheturnofthecentury,undertheregimeofChangTsoLin,effortstowardgreaterhomogeneityproducedthestartofanationalisturge.ThiswasfurtherandmoresuccessfullydevelopedundertheleadershipofChiangKai-Shek,buthasbeenbroughttoitsgreatestfruitionunderthepresentregimetothepointthatithasnowtakenonthecharacterofaunited

nationalismofincreasinglydominant,aggressivetendencies.Throughthesepast50yearstheChinesepeoplehavethusbecomemilitarizedintheirconceptsandintheirideals.Theynowconstituteexcellentsoldiers,withcompetentstaffsandcommanders.ThishasproducedanewanddominantpowerinAsia,which,foritsown

purposes,isalliedwithSovietRussiabutwhichinitsownconceptsand

methodshasbecomeaggressivelyimperialistic,withalustforexpansion

andincreasedpowernormaltothistypeofimperialism.Thereislittleoftheideologicalconcepteitheronewayoranotherinthe

Chinesemake-up.Thestandardoflivingissolowandthecapitalaccumulationhasbeensothoroughlydissipatedbywarthatthemasses

aredesperateandeagertofollowanyleadershipwhichseemsto

promisethealleviationoflocalstringencies.IhavefromthebeginningbelievedthattheChineseCommunists'

supportoftheNorthKoreanswasthedominantone.Theirinterestsare,

atpresent,parallelwiththoseoftheSoviet.ButIbelievethatthe

aggressivenessrecentlydisplayednotonlyinKoreabutalsoin

Indo-ChinaandTibetandpointingpotentiallytowardtheSouthreflects

predominantlythesamelustfortheexpansionofpowerwhichhas

animatedeverywould-beconquerorsincethebeginningoftime.TheJapanesepeople,sincethewar,haveundergonethegreatest

reformationrecordedinmodernhistory.Withacommendablewill,

eagernesstolearn,andmarkedcapacitytounderstand,theyhave,from

theashesleftinwar'swake,erectedinJapananedificededicatedtothe

supremacyofindividuallibertyandpersonaldignity;andintheensuing

processtherehasbeencreatedatrulyrepresentativegovernment

committedtotheadvanceofpoliticalmorality,freedomofeconomic

enterprise,andsocialjustice.Politically,economically,andsociallyJapanisnowabreastofmanyfree

nationsoftheearthandwillnotagainfailtheuniversaltrust.Thatitmay

becountedupontowieldaprofoundlybeneficialinfluenceoverthe

courseofeventsinAsiaisattestedbythemagnificentmannerinwhich

theJapanesepeoplehavemettherecentchallengeofwar,unrest,and

confusionsurroundingthemfromtheoutsideandcheckedcommunism

withintheirownfrontierswithouttheslightestslackeningintheirforwardprogress.IsentallfourofouroccupationdivisionstotheKorean

battlefrontwithouttheslightestqualmsastotheeffectoftheresulting

powervacuumuponJapan.Theresultsfullyjustifiedmyfaith.Iknowof

nonationmoreserene,orderly,andindustrious,norinwhichhigher

hopescanbeentertainedforfutureconstructiveserviceintheadvance

ofthehumanrace.Ofourformerward,thePhilippines,wecanlookforwardinconfidence

thattheexistingunrestwillbecorrectedandastrongandhealthynation

willgrowinthelongeraftermathofwar'sterribledestructiveness.We

mustbepatientandunderstandingandneverfailthem--asinourhour

ofneed,theydidnotfailus.AChristiannation,thePhilippinesstandasa

mightybulwarkofChristianityintheFarEast,anditscapacityforhigh

moralleadershipinAsiaisunlimited.OnFormosa,thegovernmentoftheRepublicofChinahashadthe

opportunitytorefutebyactionmuchofthemaliciousgossipwhichso

underminedthestrengthofitsleadershipontheChinesemainland.The

Formosanpeoplearereceivingajustandenlightenedadministration

withmajorityrepresentationontheorgansofgovernment,and

politically,economically,andsociallytheyappeartobeadvancingalong

soundandconstructivelines.Withthisbriefinsightintothesurroundingareas,Inowturntothe

Koreanconflict.WhileIwasnotconsultedpriortothePresident's

decisiontointerveneinsupportoftheRepublicofKorea,thatdecision

fromamilitarystandpoint,provedasoundone,aswehurledbackthe

invaderanddecimatedhisforces.Ourvictorywascomplete,andour

objectiveswithinreach,whenRedChinaintervenedwithnumerically

superiorgroundforces.Thiscreatedanewwarandanentirelynewsituation,asituationnot

contemplatedwhenourforceswerecommittedagainsttheNorth

Koreaninvaders;asituationwhichcalledfornewdecisionsinthe

diplomaticspheretopermittherealisticadjustmentofmilitarystrategy.Suchdecisionshavenotbeenforthcoming.Whilenomaninhisrightmindwouldadvocatesendingourground

forcesintocontinentalChina,andsuchwasnevergivenathought,the

newsituationdidurgentlydemandadrasticrevisionofstrategic

planningifourpoliticalaimwastodefeatthisnewenemyaswehad

defeatedtheold.Apartfromthemilitaryneed,asIsawIt,toneutralizethesanctuaryprotectiongiventheenemynorthoftheYalu,Ifeltthatmilitarynecessityintheconductofthewarmadenecessary:firsttheintensificationofoureconomicblockadeagainstChina;twotheimpositionofanavalblockadeagainsttheChinacoast;threeremovalofrestrictionsonairreconnaissanceofChina'scoastalareasandofManchuria;fourremovalofrestrictionsontheforcesoftheRepublicofChinaonFormosa,withlogisticalsupporttocontributetotheireffectiveoperationsagainstthecommonenemy.Forentertainingtheseviews,allprofessionallydesignedtosupportour

forcescommittedtoKoreaandbringhostilitiestoanendwiththeleast

possibledelayandatasavingofcountlessAmericanandalliedlives,I

havebeenseverelycriticizedinlaycircles,principallyabroad,despitemy

understandingthatfromamilitarystandpointtheaboveviewshave

beenfullysharedinthepastbypracticallyeverymilitaryleaderconcernedwiththeKoreancampaign,includingourownJointChiefsof

Staff.Icalledforreinforcementsbutwasinformedthatreinforcementswere

notavailable.Imadeclearthatifnotpermittedtodestroytheenemy

built-upbasesnorthoftheYalu,ifnotpermittedtoutilizethefriendly

ChineseForceofsome600,000menonFormosa,ifnotpermittedto

blockadetheChinacoasttopreventtheChineseRedsfromgetting

succorfromwithout,andifthereweretobenohopeofmajor

reinforcements,thepositionofthecommandfromthemilitary

standpointforbadevictory.WecouldholdinKoreabyconstantmaneuverandinanapproximate

areawhereoursupplylineadvantageswereinbalancewiththesupply

linedisadvantagesoftheenemy,butwecouldhopeatbestforonlyan

indecisivecampaignwithitsterribleandconstantattritionuponour

forcesiftheenemyutilizeditsfullmilitarypotential.Ihaveconstantly

calledforthenewpoliticaldecisionsessentialtoasolution.Effortshavebeenmadetodistortmyposition.Ithasbeensaid,ineffect,thatIwasawarmonger.Nothingcouldbefurtherfromthetruth.Iknowwarasfewothermennowlivingknowit,andnothingtomeismorerevolting.Ihavelongadvocateditscompleteabolition,asitsverydestructivenessonbothfriendandfoehasrenderedituselessasameansofsettlinginternationaldisputes.Indeed,ontheseconddayof

September,nineteenhundredandforty-five,justfollowingthesurrender

oftheJapanesenationontheBattleshipMissouri,Iformallycautionedas

follows:"Mensincethebeginningoftimehave

soughtpeace.Variousmethodsthroughtheageshavebeenattemptedtodevisean

internationalprocesstopreventorsettle

disputesbetweennations.Fromthevery

startworkablemethodswerefoundinso

farasindividualcitizenswereconcerned,

butthemechanicsofaninstrumentalityof

largerinternationalscopehaveneverbeensuccessful.Militaryalliances,

balancesofpower,LeaguesofNations,

allinturnfailed,leavingtheonlypathtobebywayofthecrucibleofwar.The

utterdestructivenessofwarnowblocksoutthisalternative.Wehavehadourlastchance.Ifwewillnotdevisesome

greaterandmoreequitablesystem,

Armageddonwillbeatourdoor.The

problembasicallyistheologicaland

involvesaspiritualrecrudescenceand

improvementofhumancharacterthatwill

synchronizewithouralmostmatchless

advancesinscience,art,literature,andall

materialandculturaldevelopmentsof

thepast2000years.Itmustbeofthespirit

ifwearetosavetheflesh."Butoncewarisforceduponus,thereisnootheralternativethanto

applyeveryavailablemeanstobringittoaswiftend.War'sveryobjectisvictory,notprolongedindecision.Inwarthereisnosubstituteforvictory.Therearesomewho,forvaryingreasons,wouldappeaseRedChina.

Theyareblindtohistory'sclearlesson,forhistoryteacheswith

unmistakableemphasisthatappeasementbutbegetsnewandbloodier

war.Itpointstonosingleinstancewherethisendhasjustifiedthat

means,whereappeasementhasledtomorethanashampeace.Like

blackmail,itlaysthebasisfornewandsuccessivelygreaterdemands

until,asinblackmail,violencebecomestheonlyotheralternative."Why,"mysoldiersaskedofme,"surrendermilitaryadvantagestoan

enemyinthefield?"Icouldnotanswer.Somemaysay:toavoidspreadoftheconflictintoanall-outwarwith

China;others,toavoidSovietintervention.Neitherexplanationseems

valid,forChinaisalreadyengagingwiththemaximumpoweritcan

commit,andtheSovie