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MacArthur:FarewellAddresstoCongressMr.President,Mr.Speaker,andDistinguishedMembersoftheCongress:Istandonthisrostrumwithasenseofdeephumilityandgreatpride--humilityintheweightofthosegreatAmericanarchitectsofourhistorywhohavestoodherebeforeme;prideinthereflectionthatthishomeoflegislativedebaterepresentshumanlibertyinthepurestformyetdevised.Herearecenteredthehopesandaspirationsandfaithoftheentirehumanrace.Idonotstandhereasadvocateforanypartisancause,fortheissuesarefundamentalandreachquitebeyondtherealmofpartisanconsideration.Theymustberesolvedonthehighestplaneofnationalinterestifourcourseistoprovesoundandourfutureprotected.Itrust,therefore,thatyouwilldomethejusticeofreceivingthatwhichIhavetosayassolelyexpressingtheconsideredviewpointofafellowAmerican.Iaddressyouwithneitherrancornorbitternessinthefadingtwilightoflife,withbutonepurposeinmind:toservemycountry.Theissuesareglobalandsointerlockedthattoconsidertheproblemsofonesector,oblivioustothoseofanother,isbuttocourtdisasterforthewhole.WhileAsiaiscommonlyreferredtoastheGatewaytoEurope,itisnolesstruethatEuropeistheGatewaytoAsia,andthebroadinfluenceoftheonecannotfailtohaveitsimpactupontheother.Therearethosewhoclaimourstrengthisinadequatetoprotectonbothfronts,thatwecannotdivideoureffort.Icanthinkofnogreaterexpressionofdefeatism.Ifapotentialenemycandividehisstrengthontwofronts,itisforustocounterhiseffort.TheCommunistthreatisaglobalone.Itssuccessfuladvanceinonesectorthreatensthedestructionofeveryothersector.YoucannotappeaseorotherwisesurrendertocommunisminAsiawithoutsimultaneouslyunderminingoureffortstohaltitsadvanceinEurope.Beyondpointingoutthesegeneraltruisms,IshallconfinemydiscussiontothegeneralareasofAsia.Beforeonemayobjectivelyassessthesituationnowexistingthere,hemustcomprehendsomethingofAsia'spastandtherevolutionarychangeswhichhavemarkedhercourseuptothepresent.Longexploitedbytheso-calledcolonialpowers,withlittleopportunitytoachieveanydegreeofsocialjustice,individualdignity,orahigherstandardoflifesuchasguidedourownnobleadministrationinthePhilippines,thepeoplesofAsiafoundtheiropportunityinthewarjustpasttothrowofftheshacklesofcolonialismandnowseethedawnofnewopportunity,aheretoforeunfeltdignity,andtheself-respectofpoliticalfreedom.Musteringhalfoftheearth'spopulation,and60percentofitsnaturalresourcesthesepeoplesarerapidlyconsolidatinganewforce,bothmoralandmaterial,withwhichtoraisethelivingstandardanderectadaptationsofthedesignofmodernprogresstotheirowndistinctculturalenvironments.Whetheroneadherestotheconceptofcolonizationornot,thisisthedirectionofAsianprogressanditmaynotbestopped.Itisacorollarytotheshiftoftheworldeconomicfrontiersasthewholeepicenterofworldaffairsrotatesbacktowardtheareawhenceitstarted.Inthissituation,itbecomesvitalthatourowncountryorientitspoliciesinconsonancewiththisbasicevolutionaryconditionratherthanpursueacourseblindtotherealitythatthecolonialeraisnowpastandtheAsianpeoplescovettherighttoshapetheirownfreedestiny.Whattheyseeknowisfriendlyguidance,understanding,andsupport--notimperiousdirection--thedignityofequalityandnottheshameofsubjugation.Theirpre-warstandardoflife,pitifullylow,isinfinitelylowernowinthedevastationleftinwar'swake.WorldideologiesplaylittlepartinAsianthinkingandarelittleunderstood.Whatthepeoplesstriveforistheopportunityforalittlemorefoodintheirstomachs,alittlebetterclothingontheirbacks,alittlefirmerroofovertheirheads,andtherealizationofthenormalnationalisturgeforpoliticalfreedom.Thesepolitical-socialconditionshavebutanindirectbearinguponourownnationalsecurity,butdoformabackdroptocontemporaryplanningwhichmustbethoughtfullyconsideredifwearetoavoidthepitfallsofunrealism.OfmoredirectandimmediatelybearinguponournationalsecurityarethechangeswroughtinthestrategicpotentialofthePacificOceaninthecourseofthepastwar.PriortheretothewesternstrategicfrontieroftheUnitedStateslayontheliterallineoftheAmericas,withanexposedislandsalientextendingoutthroughHawaii,Midway,andGuamtothePhilippines.Thatsalientprovednotanoutpostofstrengthbutanavenueofweaknessalongwhichtheenemycouldanddidattack.ThePacificwasapotentialareaofadvanceforanypredatoryforceintentuponstrikingattheborderinglandareas.AllthiswaschangedbyourPacificvictory.OurstrategicfrontierthenshiftedtoembracetheentirePacificOcean,whichbecameavastmoattoprotectusaslongasweheldit.Indeed,itactsasaprotectiveshieldforalloftheAmericasandallfreelandsofthePacificOceanarea.WecontrolittotheshoresofAsiabyachainofislandsextendinginanarcfromtheAleutianstotheMariannasheldbyusandourfreeallies.FromthisislandchainwecandominatewithseaandairpowereveryAsiaticportfromVladivostoktoSingapore--withseaandairpowereveryport,asIsaid,fromVladivostoktoSingapore--andpreventanyhostilemovementintothePacific.AnypredatoryattackfromAsiamustbeanamphibiouseffort.*Noamphibiousforcecanbesuccessfulwithoutcontrolofthesealanesandtheairoverthoselanesinitsavenueofadvance.Withnavalandairsupremacyandmodestgroundelementstodefendbases,anymajorattackfromcontinentalAsiatowardusorourfriendsinthePacificwouldbedoomedtofailure.Undersuchconditions,thePacifi