NOT FOR OURSELVES ALONE

you 200 years ago on July 4th 1776 the founding fathers joined together and penned the Declaration of Independence the effect was world-shaking when in the course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another [Music] we are not for ourselves alone but for the whole human race even before 1776 Americans became aware of a particular destiny they took a stand on principles and proclaimed a philosophy and in this cause the American citizen was and is inspired to action yes what it and toiled growled and cursed and with a prayer for victory on his lips he has died [Music] if we desire to avoid insults we must be able to repel it if we desire to secure peace it must be known that we are at all times ready for war bill they are the most absolute cowards on the face of the earth they are just now worked up to such a degree of enthusiasm that they are easily persuaded but whatever they undertake they must be invincible I begin to see what a price Liberty asks that folk must learn to hold together but they have only God and themselves [Music] [Applause] the name America which belongs to you must always exalt for just fry of patriotism to be a soldier a man must have discipline self-respect pride in his units and his country a high sense of duty and obligation to his comrades and to his superiors and self-confidence born of demonstrated ability to see men without clothes to cover their bodies without blankets to lie on without shoes or one of which their marches might be traced by the blood of their feet is proof of the patient's and obedience which in my opinion can scarcely paralleled spirits but made those heroes dare to die and leave their children free bid time and nations gently spare the shaft we raised to them and be [Music] it was at the field at Yorktown in 1781 but it was finally decided after six and 1/2 years of heroic struggle that the shot heard round the world had not been fired in vain the play is over the fifth act has come to an end after these attempts what English general will undertake the conquest of America the preservation of the sacred fire of Liberty and the destiny of the Republican model of governance are entrusted to the hands of the American people Providence has in a particular manner blessed America with a variety of soils and watered it with innumerable streams this country in this people seem to have been made for each other [Music] that these United colonies are and of right ought to be free and independent states absolved from all allegiance to the British crown Britain nursed a bitter hatred for her former rebellious colonies a war of 1812 would see British men of war waiting off the coast and foreign troops once again on American soil [Music] thousands of American citizens out of the safe guard of their national flag were torn from their country and from everything dear to them we must oppose the further encroachments of Great Britain by war or formerly Arno the declaration of independence fast Briggs were built and outfitted with naval guns shipyards met the crisis as citizens took up local collections to build and launch lofty frigates [Music] it is by no means enough that an officer of the Navy should be a capable Mariner he should be as well as gentlemen of liberal education refined manners pontellier's courtesy and the nicest sense of personal honor how could it happen that our British ships have been beaten by a piece of striped bunting flying at the masthead of a few Ferb built frigates manned by bastards and outlaws the gallant exploits of our naval heroes proved to the world our inherent capacity to maintain our rights on one element the sea [Music] [Music] good seamanship self-reliance at a sense of ultimate responsibility other first requisites in a seaman and naval officer [Music] the war of 1812 gave Americans what they so essentially left a national character bounded on glory common to all [Music] Liberty and Union now and forever one and inseparable [Music] we hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal that they are endowed by their creator with certain inalienable rights that among these are life liberty and the pursuit of happiness [Music] i paramount objective is to save the Union a house divided against itself cannot stand in your hands might dissatisfied countrymen and not in mind is the momentous issue of civil war [Music] the guns that saluted the 16th President of the United States assured in the nation's bloodiest war a war of brother against brother the president's call for troops the rolling of the drums the patriotic appeals brought out 91 thousand volunteers many of whom had never before fired a rifle listen young heroes your country is calling time strikes the hour for the brave and the true now while the four most are fighting and falling fill up the ranks that have opened for you [Music] most competent high-ranking officers on both sides for West Point graduates [Music] the art of war is simple enough find out where your enemy is get Adam so as you can strike him as hard as you can as often as you can to keep moving on the innovations of Ulysses Grant William Sherman Stonewall Jackson Robert Ely and the naval maneuvers of Admiral David Farragut were to become an integral part of basic military strategy but the war would be fought man to men all along the road for miles wounded men were like they crawled or topple slowly away from the fury of the battle become exhausted and laying down by the roadside to die it must have been their agony mother as they lay in the very woods sensible that there was no one to comfort her to care for them that in a few hours more their career on earth would be ended it was not until after Gettysburg and Vicksburg that the recruits had become soldiers then our men had learned in the dearest school on earth the simple lessons of war then we had brigades divisions and cores which could be handled professionally and it was then that professional soldiers would rightly be held to just responsibilities let North and South let all Americans but all lovers of Liberty join in readapting policies harmonious with a declaration of independence soldiers again became civilians uniforms medals and weapons only mementos of the past so three major wars were fought before a man could say these United States the country withstood its greatest crisis we had proved ourselves we were on nation [Music] such as we were we gave ourselves outright the deed of gift was many deeds of war to the land vaguely realizing westward but still unstirred artless unenhanced such as she was such as she would become that to secure these rights governments are instituted among men deriving their just powers from the consent of the government the greatest victories were yet to be won the greatest deeds yet to be done and that the Regan's in store for our peoples and for the causes that we upheld grander triumphs than had yet been scored it was a fearful thing to leave this great peaceful people into war but the right was more precious than the peace and we fought for the things which we've always carried nearest our hearts for democracy for the rights and liberties of small nations to make the world at last free the Doughboy and the marine would establish the reputation of the American fighting man in Europe he dug in and held 100 miles of the line we are swept by machine-gun fire and a constant barrage is on us I have no one on my left and only a few on my right I will hold while in the skies above there appeared a new American soldier the aviator it is probable that future war will be conducted by a special class the Air Force as it was by the armored Knights of the Middle Ages [Music] the long long solemn trenches as anyone thoughts who was stood in one of those trenches what a measureless history it held what a stately poem and mighty an awful him it held what a history their holes in the crumbling contents of trenches I pay the supreme tribute to the officers and soldiers of a line when I think of their heroism their patients under hardships their unflinching spirit of offensive action I am filled with emotion which I am unable to Express [Music] [Music] Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday December 1941 a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire whether come this premeditated invasion the American people in their righteous might will [Music] from Berlin Rome Tokyo we have been described as a nation of weaklings playboy would hire British soldiers or Russian soldiers or Chinese soldiers for our fighting for let them repeat that now let them tell that to General MacArthur and his men let them tell that to the sailors who today are hitting hard in the Far waters of the Pacific let them tell that to the boys in the Flying Fortresses let them tell that to the Marines [Music] these are the times that try men's soul Tom Paine wrote those words on a drumhead by the length of a campfire that was when Washington's little army of ragged rugged men was retreating across New Jersey having tasted North but the peace [Music] Washington's conduct in those hard times has provided the model for all Americans ever since a model of moral stamina he held to his course that it had been chartered in the Declaration of Independence the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will in this crisis shrink from the service of their country that stands it now deserves the love and thanks a man and woman tyranny like hell is not easily conquered yet we have this consolation with it that the heart of the sacrifice the more glorious the plan these proceedings are closed the seeds of totalitarian regimes are nurtured by misery and war they spread and grow in the evil soil of poverty and strife they reach their food earth when the hope of the people for a better life has died we must keep that foot alive the freemen of the world have one choice if they are to remain free they must oppose strength where the strength [Music] the world and we have past the midway point of a century of continuing challenge we sense with all our faculties that forces of good and evil our name and our food as Mary before in history [Music] [Music] the American fighting man has not given of himself merely to defend his home or the moment that was passing or so that his family his neighbors and all of his fellow men might live in peace the days to come while the men who suffered at Valley Forge and one of Yorktown and lost their lives in foreign lands gave themselves to the cause of freedom and thus Abraham Lincoln at Independence Hall concluded I have often inquired of myself what great principle or idea it was that kept this Confederacy so long together it was at sentiments in the Declaration of Independence you and for the support of this declaration with a firm reliance on the protection of divine providence we mutually pledge to each other Our Lives our Fortunes and our sacred honor [Music] you