英语演讲稿：This was an emotional day.doc

演讲稿 英语演讲稿：this was an emotional day *thiswasanemotionalday.theceremonieshonoringthefortiethanniversaryofddaybecamemorethanmemorations.theybecamecelebrationsofheroismandsacrifice.thisplace,pointeduhoc,initselfwasmovingandmajestic.istoodthereonthatwindsweptpointwiththeoceanbehindme.beforemeweretheboyswhofortyyearsbeforehadfoughttheirwayupfromtheocean.somerestedunderthewhitecrossesandstarsofdavidthatstretchedoutacrossthelandscape.otherssatrightinfrontofme.theylookedlikeelderlybusinessmen,yetthesewerethekidswhoclimbedthecliffs.*wereheretomarkthatdayinhistorywhenthealliedarmiesjoinedinbattletoreclaimthiscontinenttoliberty.forfourlongyears,muchofeuropehadbeenunderaterribleshadow.freenationshadfallen,jewscriedoutinthecamps,millionscriedoutforliberation.europewasenslaved,andtheworldprayedforitsrescue.here,innormandy,therescuebegan.here,thealliesstoodandfoughtagainsttyranny,inagiantundertakingunparalleledinhumanhistory.westandonalonely,windsweptpointonthenorthernshoreoffrance.theairissoft,butfortyyearsagoatthismoment,theairwasdensewithsmokeandthecriesofmen,andtheairwasfilledwiththecrackofriflefireandtheroarofcannon.atdawn,onthemorningofthe6thofjune,1944,twohundredandtwenty-fiverangersjumpedoffthebritishlandingcraftandrantothebottomofthesecliffs.theirmissionwasoneofthemostdifficultanddaringoftheinvasion:toclimbthesesheeranddesolatecliffsandtakeouttheenemyguns.theallieshadbeentoldthatsomeofthemightiestofthesegunswerehere,andtheywouldbetrainedonthebeachestostopthealliedadvance.therangerslookedupandsawtheenemysoldiersattheedgeofthecliffs,shootingdownatthemwithmachinegunsandthrowinggrenades.andtheamericanrangersbegantoclimb.theyshotropeladdersoverthefaceofthesecliffsandbegantopullthemselvesup.whenonerangerfell,anotherwouldtakehisplace.whenoneropewascut,arangerwouldgrabanotherandbeginhisclimbagain.theyclimbed,shotback,andheldtheirfooting.soon,onebyone,therangerspulledthemselvesoverthetop,andinseizingthefirmlandatthetopofthesecliffs,theybegantoseizebackthecontinentofeurope.twohundredandtwenty-fivecamehere.aftertwodaysoffighting,onlyninetycouldstillbeararms.andbehindmeisamemorialthatsymbolizestherangerdaggersthatwerethrustintothetopofthesecliffs.andbeforemearethemenwhoputthemhere.thesearetheboysofpointeduhoc.thesearethemenwhotookthecliffs.thesearethechampionswhohelpedfreeacontinent.thesearetheheroeswhohelpedendawar.gentlemen,ilookatyouandithinkofthewordsofstephenspenderspoem.youaremenwhoinyourlivesfoughtforlifeandleftthevividairsignedwithyourhonor.ithinkiknowwhatyoumaybethinkingrightnow-thinkingwewerejustpartofabiggereffort;everyonewasbravethatday.welleveryonewas.doyourememberthestoryofbillmillinofthe51sthighlanders?fortyyearsagotoday,britishtroopswerepinneddownnearabridge,waitingdesperatelyforhelp.suddenly,theyheardthesoundofbagpipes,andsomethoughttheyweredreaming.well,theywerent.theylookedupandsawbillmillinwithhisbagpipes,leadingthereinforcementsandignoringthesmackofthebulletsintothegroundaroundhim.lordlovatwaswithhim-lordlovatofscotland,whocalmlyannouncedwhenhegottothebridge,sorry,imafewminuteslate,asifhedbeendelayedbyatrafficjam,whenintruthhedjustefromthebloodyfightingonswordbeach,whichheandhismenhadjusttaken.therewastheimpossiblevalorofthepoles,whothrewthemselvesbetweentheenemyandtherestofeuropeastheinvasiontookhold;andtheunsurpassedcourageofthecanadianswhohadalreadyseenthehorrorsofwaronthiscoast.theyknewwhatawaitedthemthere,buttheywouldnotbedeterred.andoncetheyhitjunobeach,theyneverlookedback.allofthesemenwerepartofarollcallofhonorwithnamesthatspokeofaprideasbrightasthecolorstheybore;theroyalwinnipegrifles,polands24thlancers,theroyalscotsfusiliers,thescreamingeagles,theyeomenofenglandsarmoreddivisions,theforcesoffreefrance,thecoastguardsmatchboxfleet,andyou,theamericanrangers.fortysummershavepassedsincethebattlethatyoufoughthere.youwereyoungthedayyoutookthesecliffs;someofyouwerehardlymorethanboys,withthedeepestjoysoflifebeforeyou.yetyouriskedeverythinghere.why?whydidyoudoit?whatimpelledyoutoputasidetheinstinctforself-preservationandriskyourlivestotakethesecliffs?whatinspiredallthemenofthearmiesthatmethere?welookatyou,andsomehowweknowtheanswer.itwasfaithandbelief.itwasloyaltyandlove.themenofnormandyhadfaiththatwhattheyweredoingwasright,faiththattheyfoughtforallhumanity,faiththatajustgodwouldgrantthemmercyonthisbeachhead,oronthenext.itwasthedeepknowledge-andpraygodwehavenotlostit-thatthereisaprofoundmoraldifferencebetweentheuseofforceforliberationandtheuseofforceforconquest.youwereheretoliberate,nottoconquer,andsoyouandthoseothersdidnotdoubtyourcause.andyouwererightnottodoubt.youallknewthatsomethingsareworthdyingfor.onescountryisworthdyingfor,anddemocracyisworthdyingfor,becauseitsthemostdeeplyhonorableformofgovernmenteverdevisedbyman.allofyoulovedliberty.allofyouwerewillingtofighttyranny,andyouknewthepeopleofyourcountrieswerebehindyou.theamericanswhofoughtherethatmorningknewwordoftheinvasionwasspreadingthroughthedarknessbackhome.theyfought-orfeltintheirhearts,thoughtheycouldntknowinfact,thatingeorgiatheywerefillingthechurchesat4:00am.inkansastheywerekneelingontheirporchesandpraying.andinphiladelphiatheywereringingthelibertybell.somethingelsehelpedthemenofd-day;theirrock-hardbeliefthatprovidencewouldhaveagreathandintheeventsthatwouldunfoldhere;thatgodwasanallyinthisgreatcause.andso,thenightbeforetheinvasion,whencolonelwolvertonaskedhisparachutetroopstokneelwithhiminprayer,hetoldthem:donotbowyourheads,butlookupsoyoucanseegodandaskhisblessinginwhatwereabouttodo.also,thatnight,generalmatthewridgwayonhiscot,listeninginthedarknessforthepromisegodmadetojoshua:iwillnotfailtheenorforsakethee.thesearethethingsthatimpelledthem;thesearethethingsthatshapedtheunityoftheallies.whenthewarwasover,therewerelivestoberebuiltandgovernmentstobereturnedtothepeople.therewerenationstobereborn.aboveall,therewasanewpeacetobeassured.thesewerehugeanddauntingtasks.butthealliessummonedstrengthfromthefaith,belief,loyalty,andloveofthosewhofellhere.theyrebuiltaneweuropetogether.therewasfirstagreatreconciliationamongthosewhohadbeenenemies,allofwhomhadsufferedsogreatly.theunitedstatesdiditspart,creatingthemarshallplantohelprebuildouralliesandourformerenemies.themarshallplanledtotheatlanticalliance-agreatalliancethatservestothisdayasourshieldforfreedom,forprosperity,andforpeace.inspiteofourgreateffortsandsuccesses,notallthatfollowedtheendofthewarwashappyorplanned.someliberatedcountrieswerelost.thegreatsadnessofthislossechoesdowntoourowntimeinthestreetsofwarsaw,prague,andeastberlin.thesoviettroopsthatcametothecenterofthiscontinentdidnotleavewhenpeacecame.theyrestillthere,uninvited,unwanted,unyielding,almostfortyyearsafterthewar.becauseofthis,alliedforcesstillstandonthiscontinent.today,asfortyyearsago,ourarmiesarehereforonlyonepurpose:toprotectanddefenddemocracy.theonlyterritoriesweholdarememorialslikethisoneandgraveyardswhereourheroesrest.weinamericahavelearnedbitterlessonsfromtwoworldwars.itisbettertobeherereadytoprotectthepeace,thantotakeblindshelteracrossthesea,rushingtorespondonlyafterfreedomislost.wevelearnedthatisolationismneverwasandneverwillbeanacceptableresponsetotyrannicalgovernmentswithanexpansionistintent.butwetryalwaystobepreparedforpeace,preparedtodeteraggression,preparedtonegotiatethereductionofarms,andyes,preparedtoreachoutagaininthespiritofreconciliation.intruth,thereisnoreconciliationwewouldwelemorethanareconciliationwiththesovietunion,so,together,wecanlessentherisksofwar,nowandforever.itsfittingtorememberherethegreatlossesalsosufferedbytherussianpeopleduringworldwarii:20millionperished,aterriblepricethattestifiestoalltheworldthenecessityofendingwar.itellyoufrommyheartthatweintheunitedstatesdonotwantwar.wewanttowipefromthefaceoftheearththeterribleweaponsthatmannowhasinhishands.anditellyou,wearereadytoseizethatbeachhead.welookforsomesignfromthesovietunionthattheyarewillingtomoveforward,thattheyshareourdesireandloveforpeace,andthattheywillgiveupthewaysofconquest.theremustbeachangingtherethatwillallowust