杜鲁门就职演讲

InauguralAddressofHarryS.TrumanTHURSDAY,JANUARY20,1949Mr.VicePresident,Mr.ChiefJustice,andfellowcitizens,IacceptwithhumilitythehonorwhichtheAmericanpeoplehaveconferreduponme.IacceptitwithadeepresolvetodoallthatIcanforthewelfareofthisNationandforthepeaceoftheworld.Inperformingthedutiesofmyoffice,Ineedthehelpandprayersofeveryoneofyou.Iaskforyourencouragementandyoursupport.Thetaskswefacearedifficult,andwecanaccomplishthemonlyifweworktogether.Eachperiodofournationalhistoryhashaditsspecialchallenges.Thosethatconfrontusnowareasmomentousasanyinthepast.Todaymarksthebeginningnotonlyofanewadministration,butofaperiodthatwillbeeventful,perhapsdecisive,forusandfortheworld.Itmaybeourlottoexperience,andinlargemeasuretobringabout,amajorturningpointinthelonghistoryofthehumanrace.Thefirsthalfofthiscenturyhasbeenmarkedbyunprecedentedandbrutalattacksontherightsofman,andbythetwomostfrightfulwarsinhistory.Thesupremeneedofourtimeisformentolearntolivetogetherinpeaceandharmony.Thepeoplesoftheearthfacethefuturewithgraveuncertainty,composedalmostequallyofgreathopesandgreatfears.Inthistimeofdoubt,theylooktotheUnitedStatesasneverbeforeforgoodwill,strength,andwiseleadership.Itisfitting,therefore,thatwetakethisoccasiontoproclaimtotheworldtheessentialprinciplesofthefaithbywhichwelive,andtodeclareouraimstoallpeoples.TheAmericanpeoplestandfirminthefaithwhichhasinspiredthisNationfromthebeginning.Webelievethatallmenhavearighttoequaljusticeunderlawandequalopportunitytoshareinthecommongood.Webelievethatallmenhavetherighttofreedomofthoughtandexpression.WebelievethatallmenarecreatedequalbecausetheyarecreatedintheimageofGod.Fromthisfaithwewillnotbemoved.TheAmericanpeopledesire,andaredeterminedtoworkfor,aworldinwhichallnationsandallpeoplesarefreetogovernthemselvesastheyseefit,andtoachieveadecentandsatisfyinglife.Aboveallelse,ourpeopledesire,andaredeterminedtoworkfor,peaceonearth--ajustandlastingpeace--basedongenuineagreementfreelyarrivedatbyequals.Inthepursuitoftheseaims,theUnitedStatesandotherlike-mindednationsfindthemselvesdirectlyopposedbyaregimewithcontraryaimsandatotallydifferentconceptoflife.Thatregimeadherestoafalsephilosophywhichpurportstoofferfreedom,security,andgreateropportunitytomankind.Misledbythisphilosophy,manypeopleshavesacrificedtheirlibertiesonlytolearntotheirsorrowthatdeceitandmockery,povertyandtyranny,aretheirreward.Thatfalsephilosophyiscommunism.Communismisbasedonthebeliefthatmanissoweakandinadequatethatheisunabletogovernhimself,andthereforerequirestheruleofstrongmasters.Democracyisbasedontheconvictionthatmanhasthemoralandintellectualcapacity,aswellastheinalienableright,togovernhimselfwithreasonandjustice.Communismsubjectstheindividualtoarrestwithoutlawfulcause,punishmentwithouttrial,andforcedlaborasthechattelofthestate.Itdecreeswhatinformationheshallreceive,whatartheshallproduce,whatleadersheshallfollow,andwhatthoughtsheshallthink.Democracymaintainsthatgovernmentisestablishedforthebenefitoftheindividual,andischargedwiththeresponsibilityofprotectingtherightsoftheindividualandhisfreedomintheexerciseofhisabilities.Communismmaintainsthatsocialwrongscanbecorrectedonlybyviolence.Democracyhasprovedthatsocialjusticecanbeachievedthroughpeacefulchange.Communismholdsthattheworldissodeeplydividedintoopposingclassesthatwarisinevitable.Democracyholdsthatfreenationscansettledifferencesjustlyandmaintainlastingpeace.ThesedifferencesbetweencommunismanddemocracydonotconcerntheUnitedStatesalone.Peopleeverywherearecomingtorealizethatwhatisinvolvedismaterialwell-being,humandignity,andtherighttobelieveinandworshipGod.Istatethesedifferences,nottodrawissuesofbeliefassuch,butbecausetheactionsresultingfromtheCommunistphilosophyareathreattotheeffortsoffreenationstobringaboutworldrecoveryandlastingpeace.Sincetheendofhostilities,theUnitedStateshasinvesteditssubstanceanditsenergyinagreatconstructiveefforttorestorepeace,stability,andfreedomtotheworld.Wehavesoughtnoterritoryandwehaveimposedourwillonnone.Wehaveaskedfornoprivilegeswewouldnotextendtoothers.WehaveconstantlyandvigorouslysupportedtheUnitedNationsandrelatedagenciesasameansofapplyingdemocraticprinciplestointernationalrelations.Wehaveconsistentlyadvocatedandrelieduponpeacefulsettlementofdisputesamongnations.Wehavemadeeveryefforttosecureagreementoneffectiveinternationalcontrolofourmostpowerfulweapon,andwehaveworkedsteadilyforthelimitationandcontrolofallarmaments.Wehaveencouraged,bypreceptandexample,theexpansionofworldtradeonasoundandfairbasis.Almostayearago,incompanywith16freenationsofEurope,welaunchedthegreatestcooperativeeconomicprograminhistory.ThepurposeofthatunprecedentedeffortistoinvigorateandstrengthendemocracyinEurope,sothatthefreepeopleofthatcontinentcanresumetheirrightfulplaceintheforefrontofcivilizationandcancontributeoncemoretothesecurityandwelfareoftheworld.Oureffortshavebroughtnewhopetoallmankind.Wehavebeatenbackdespairanddefeatism.Wehavesavedanumberofcountriesfromlosingtheirliberty.Hundredsofmillionsofpeopleallovertheworldnowagreewithus,thatweneednothavewar--thatwecanhavepeace.Theinitiat