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InauguralAddressWeobservetodaynotavictoryofparty,butacelebrationoffreedom—symbolizinganend,aswellasabeginning—signifyingrenewal,aswellaschange.ForIhaveswornbeforeyouandAlmightyGodthesamesolemnoathourforebearsprescribednearlyacenturyandthreequartersago.Theworldisverydifferentnow.Formanholdsinhismortalhandsthepowertoabolishallformsofhumanpovertyandallformsofhumanlife.Andyetthesamerevolutionarybeliefsforwhichourforebearsfoughtarestillatissuearoundtheglobe—thebeliefthattherightsofmancomenotfromthegenerosityofthestate,butfromthehandofGod.Wedarenotforgettodaythatwearetheheirsofthatfirstrevolution.Letthewordgoforthfromthistimeandplace,tofriendandfoealike,thatthetorchhasbeenpassedtoanewgenerationofAmericans—borninthiscentury,temperedbywar,disciplinedbyahardandbitterpeace,proudofourancientheritage—andunwillingtowitnessorpermittheslowundoingofthosehumanrightstowhichthisNationhasalwaysbeencommitted,andtowhichwearecommittedtodayathomeandaroundtheworld.Leteverynationknow,whetheritwishesuswellorill,thatweshallpayanyprice,bearanyburden,meetanyhardship,supportanyfriend,opposeanyfoe,inordertoassurethesurvivalandthesuccessofliberty.Thismuchwepledge—andmore.Tothoseoldallieswhoseculturalandspiritualoriginsweshare,wepledgetheloyaltyoffaithfulfriends.United,thereislittlewecannotdoinahostofcooperativeventures.Divided,thereislittlewecando—forwedarenotmeetapowerfulchallengeatoddsandsplitasunder.TothosenewStateswhomwewelcometotheranksofthefree,wepledgeourwordthatoneformofcolonialcontrolshallnothavepassedawaymerelytobereplacedbyafarmoreirontyranny.Weshallnotalwaysexpecttofindthemsupportingourview.Butweshallalwayshopetofindthemstronglysupportingtheirownfreedom—andtorememberthat,inthepast,thosewhofoolishlysoughtpowerbyridingthebackofthetigerendedupinside.Tothosepeoplesinthehutsandvillagesacrosstheglobestrugglingtobreakthebondsofmassmisery,wepledgeourbesteffortstohelpthemhelpthemselves,forwhateverperiodisrequired—notbecausetheCommunistsmaybedoingit,notbecauseweseektheirvotes,butbecauseitisright.Ifafreesocietycannothelpthemanywhoarepoor,itcannotsavethefewwhoarerich.Tooursisterrepublicssouthofourborder,weofferaspecialpledge—toconvertourgoodwordsintogooddeeds—inanewallianceforprogress—toassistfreemenandfreegovernmentsincastingoffthechainsofpoverty.Butthispeacefulrevolutionofhopecannotbecomethepreyofhostilepowers.LetallourneighborsknowthatweshalljoinwiththemtoopposeaggressionorsubversionanywhereintheAmericas.AndleteveryotherpowerknowthatthisHemisphereintendstoremainthemasterofitsownhouse.Tothatworldassemblyofsovereignstates,theUnitedNations,ourlastbesthopeinanagewheretheinstrumentsofwarhavefaroutpacedtheinstrumentsofpeace,werenewourpledgeofsupport—topreventitfrombecomingmerelyaforumforinvective—tostrengthenitsshieldofthenewandtheweak—andtoenlargetheareainwhichitswritmayrun.Finally,tothosenationswhowouldmakethemselvesouradversary,weoffernotapledgebutarequest:thatbothsidesbeginanewthequestforpeace,beforethedarkpowersofdestructionunleashedbyscienceengulfallhumanityinplannedoraccidentalself-destruction.Wedarenottemptthemwithweakness.Foronlywhenourarmsaresufficientbeyonddoubtcanwebecertainbeyonddoubtthattheywillneverbeemployed.Butneithercantwogreatandpowerfulgroupsofnationstakecomfortfromourpresentcourse—bothsidesoverburdenedbythecostofmodernweapons,bothrightlyalarmedbythesteadyspreadofthedeadlyatom,yetbothracingtoalterthatuncertainbalanceofterrorthatstaysthehandofmankind’sfinalwar.Soletusbeginanew—rememberingonbothsidesthatcivilityisnotasignofweakness,andsincerityisalwayssubjecttoproof.Letusnevernegotiateoutoffear.Butletusneverfeartonegotiate.Letbothsidesexplorewhatproblemsuniteusinsteadofbelaboringthoseproblemswhichdivideus.Letbothsides,forthefirsttime,formulateseriousandpreciseproposalsfortheinspectionandcontrolofarms—andbringtheabsolutepowertodestroyothernationsundertheabsolutecontrolofallnations.Letbothsidesseektoinvokethewondersofscienceinsteadofitsterrors.Togetherletusexplorethestars,conquerthedeserts,eradicatedisease,taptheoceandepths,andencouragetheartsandcommerce.LetbothsidesunitetoheedinallcornersoftheearththecommandofIsaiah—to“undotheheavyburdens...andtolettheoppressedgofree.”Andifabeachheadofcooperationmaypushbackthejungleofsuspicion,letbothsidesjoinincreatinganewendeavor,notanewbalanceofpower,butanewworldoflaw,wherethestrongarejustandtheweaksecureandthepeacepreserved.Allthiswillnotbefinishedinthefirst100days.Norwillitbefinishedinthefirst1,000days,norinthelifeofthisAdministration,norevenperhapsinourlifetimeonthisplanet.Butletusbegin.20Inyourhands,myfellowcitizens,morethaninmine,willrestthefinalsuccessorfailureofourcourse.Sincethiscountrywasfounded,eachgenerationofAmericanshasbeensummonedtogivetestimonytoitsnationalloyalty.ThegravesofyoungAmericanswhoansweredthecalltoservicesurroundtheglobe.Nowthetrumpetsummonsusagain—notasacalltobeararms,thougharmsweneed;notasacalltobattle,thoughembattledweare—butacalltobeartheburdenofalongtwilightstruggle,yearinandyearout,“rejoicinginhope,patientintribulation”—astruggleagainstthecommonenemiesofman: