肯尼迪总统 生前最后一次演讲

1963年11月22日，肯尼迪总统到访德克萨斯州达拉斯市，开始他在这里的拉票竞选活动，为1964年美国总统大选做准备。肯尼迪总统于早上同德州官员一起在沃斯堡就餐，他在就餐前发表了本篇演讲，这是他生前最后一次公开演讲。几小时后，约翰·F·肯尼迪总统乘车前往达拉斯市，他在经过达拉斯市的迪利广场时遇刺身亡，终年46岁。

Mr. Buck, Mr. Vice President, Governor Connally, Senator Yarborough, Jim Wright, members of the congressional delegation, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Attorney General, ladies and gentlemen:

巴克先生，副总统先生，康纳利州长，吉米·怀特，州议会的各位议员，议长先生，司法部长先生，女士们先生们：

Two years ago, I introduced myself in Paris by saying that I was the man who had accompanied Mrs. Kennedy to Paris. I am getting somewhat that same sensation as I travel around Texas. Nobody wonders what Lyndon and I wear.

两年前我访问巴黎时，自我介绍时说，我就是陪伴肯尼迪太太来巴黎的那个男的(译者注：1961年5月，肯尼迪总统访问巴黎时，他的夫人杰奎琳受到了法国民众极度热烈的欢迎，甚至盖过了肯尼迪总统，故而肯尼迪如此自嘲)。今天我来到德克萨斯州，也有一种类似的感觉。怎么没人在乎我和林登穿的是什么衣服呢。

I am glad to be here in Jim Wright's city. About 35 years ago, a Congressman from California who had just been elected received a letter from an irate constituent which said: "During the campaign you promised to have the Sierra Madre Mountains reforested. You have been in office one month and you haven't done so." Well, no one in Fort Worth has been that unreasonable, but in some ways he has had the Sierra Madre Mountains reforested, and here in Fort Worth he has contributed to its growth.

我很高兴来到吉米·莱特的家乡。大概35年前，一名加州国会议员刚刚当选，就收到了一封自己选民的信，对方愤怒地质问道，“你竞选时承诺会在马德雷山脉进行植树绿化。你都当选一个月了，树呢？！”幸好我们沃斯堡没有那么不讲道理的人，不过那位议员确实在山上开展了植树绿化，他还帮助推动过沃斯堡的经济发展。

He speaks for Fort Worth and he speaks for the country, and I don't know any city that is better represented in the Congress of the United States than Fort Worth. And if there are any Democrats here this morning, I am sure you wouldn't hold that against him.

他不仅为沃斯堡发声，也代表全体美国人民发声，我不知道美国哪座城市的代表能比沃斯堡的更好。如果今天早上有民主党人在此，我相信各位民主党人也不会反对这位议员。(译者注：推断这位来自加州的议员是共和党人)

Three years ago last September I came here, with the Vice President, and spoke at Burke Burnett Park, and I called, in that speech, for a national security policy and a national security system which was second to none--a position which said not first, but, if, when and how, but first. That city responded to that call as it has through its history. And we have been putting that pledge into practice ever since.

3年前的九月，我曾经和副总统到访这里，并在伯克·博纳特公园发表过一次演说，那次演说时，我主张美国要采取积极的国防政策，建成首屈一指的国防体系——我所说的，不是如果美国成为第一，不是美国何时成为第一，不是怎么成为第一，我们的目标，就是成为第一。而你们一如既往地响应了这次号召。自那之后，我们就努力将这一承诺变成现实。

And I want to say a word about that pledge here in Fort Worth, which understands national defense and its importance to the security of the United States. During the days of the Indian War, this city was a fort. During the days of World War I, even before the United States got into the war, Royal Canadian Air Force pilots were training here. During the days of World War II, the great Liberator bombers, in which my brother flew with his co-pilot from this city, were produced here.

我想要以当年在沃斯堡立下的承诺，借以谈谈国防对美国国家安全的重要性。在印第安战争时期，沃斯堡还是一座堡垒。在一战时，美国还没参战的时候，加拿大皇家空军的飞行员就在这里训练。在二战时，这座城市在生产B-24“解放者”轰炸机，我哥哥(译者注：指小约瑟夫·肯尼迪，肯尼迪总统唯一的哥哥，1944年在英国牺牲)所驾驶的就是B-24轰炸机，他的副驾驶就来自沃斯堡。

The first nonstop flight around the world took off and returned here, in a plane built in factories here. The first truly intercontinental bomber, the B-36, was produced here. The B-58, which is the finest weapons system in the world today, which has demonstrated most recently in flying from Tokyo to London, with an average speed of nearly 1,000 miles per hour, is a Fort Worth product.

世界上第一次无降落环球飞行，就是以沃斯堡为起点和终点，那架飞机也是沃斯堡制造。我们的B-58轰炸机是当今最先进的武器，它从东京飞到伦敦，平均时速将近1000英里，证明了自身的优异性能，这型号飞机也是沃斯堡制造。

The Iroquois helicopter from Fort Worth is a mainstay in our fight against the guerrillas in South Viet-Nam. The transportation of crews between our missile sites is done in planes produced here in Fort Worth. So wherever the confrontation may occur, and in the last 3 years it has occurred on at least three occasions, in Laos, Berlin, and Cuba, and it will again--wherever it occurs, the products of Fort Worth and the men of Fort Worth provide us with a sense of security.

由沃斯堡生产的UH-1“易洛魁”直升机，是我们在南越打击当地游击队的主力武器。宇航员在不同发射基地周转，所乘坐的飞机也是沃斯堡制造。过去三年，我们已经和敌人发生三次正面对抗，分别在老挝、柏林和古巴——如果这种事情再次发生，无论发生在任何地点，我相信，有沃斯堡生产的武器在手，有沃斯堡的子民在身边，我们会无所畏惧。

And in the not too distant future a new Fort Worth product--and I am glad that there was a table separating Mr. Hicks and myself--a new Fort Worth product, the TFX Tactical Fighter Experimental--nobody knows what those words mean, but that is what they mean, Tactical Fighter Experimental--will serve the forces of freedom and will be the number one airplane in the world today.

不久后，沃斯堡还会制造出新型武器——幸好有一张桌子把我跟希克斯先生隔开了——沃斯堡会会为我们的战术战斗机实验计划(TFX计划)制造新型飞机——没人知道实验具体内容，但是战术战斗机实验计划就如同它的名字一样——会壮大自由世界的力量，会打造出世界上最顶尖的战机。

There has been a good deal of discussion of the long and hard fought competition to win the TFX contract, but very little discussion about what this plane will do. It will be the first operational aircraft ever produced that can literally spread its wings through the air. It will thus give us a single plane capable of carrying out missions of speed as well as distance, able to fly very far in one form or very fast in another. It can take off from rugged, short airstrips, enormously increasing the Air Force's ability to participate in limited wars. The same basic plane will serve the Navy's carriers, saving the taxpayers at least $1 billion in costs if they built separate planes for the Navy and the Air Force.

各方花了很长时间讨论订单，为抢下TFX的合同争破了头，但很少有人真正去谈这种新型飞机的用途。它将是人类历史上首个可变翼战斗机。它一架飞机能够同时兼顾速度和航程，它在一种形态下拥有较远的航程，切换到另一种形态就能拥有较快的飞行速度。它可以从崎岖的短跑道上起飞，大幅提高了我国空军在局部战争中的作战能力。同类型的飞机还可以在我们海军的航空母舰上服役，如果分别为海军和空军制造不同型号的飞机，还得多花10亿美元，现在这笔钱我们替纳税人剩下了。

The Government of Australia, by purchasing $125 million of TFX planes before they are even off the drawing boards, has already testified to the merit of this plane, and at the same time it is confident in the ability of Fort Worth to meet its schedule. In all these ways, the success of our national defense depends upon this city in the western United States, 10,000 miles from Viet-Nam, 5,000 or 6,000 miles from Berlin, thousands of miles from trouble spots in Latin America and Africa or the Middle East. And yet Fort Worth and what it does and what it produces participates in all these great historic events. Texas, as a whole, and Fort Worth bear particular responsibility for this national defense effort, for military procurement in this State totals nearly $1 1/4 billion, fifth highest among all the States of the Union. There are more military personnel on active duty in this State than any in the Nation, save one--and it is not Massachusetts-any in the Nation save one, with a combined military-civilian defense payroll of well over a billion dollars. I don't recite these for any partisan purpose. They are the result of American determination to be second to none, and as a result of the effort which this country has made in the last 3 years we are second to none.

我们TFX的飞机还在设计阶段时，澳大利亚政府就迫不及待地订购了价值1.25亿美元的飞机，这足以证明我们的新型飞机有多么优异，同时也证明他们相信沃斯堡一定能把这种飞机造出来。这一切说明，我国国防都依靠着这座位于美国西部的城市，哪怕你们距离越南有一万英里，距离柏林有五六千英里，距离拉美、非洲和中东的动荡地区也是千里之外。但沃斯堡靠着自己的行动，凭借自己制造的产品，从未缺席过这些历史上的大事件。整个德克萨斯州对美国国防都十分重要，我们在德州采购的军备价值高达12.5亿美元，在美国所有州中排行第五，而沃斯堡在其中发挥的作用更是不可忽视。德州执勤的军人数量在全美各州位居第二，仅次于一个州——顺便一提，第一名并不是马萨诸塞州——德州位居第二，你们的军事防御和民防开支加起来达到十几亿美元。我列举这些数据，不是想夸民主党多好。因为这一切都是美国人民的努力成果，我们从不甘居第二，多亏了全国人民在过去3年的奴隶，现在我们说第二，没人敢说第一。

In the past 3 years we have increased the defense budget of the United States by over 20 percent; increased the program of acquisition for Polaris submarines from 24 to 41; increased our Minuteman missile purchase program by more than 75 percent; doubled the number of strategic bombers and missiles on alert; doubled the number of nuclear weapons available in the strategic alert forces; increased the tactical nuclear forces deployed in Western Europe by over 60 percent; added five combat ready divisions to the Army of the United States, and five tactical fighter wings to the Air Force of the United States; increased our strategic airlift capability by 75 percent; and increased our special counter-insurgency forces which are engaged now in South Viet-Nam by 600 percent. I hope those who want a stronger America and place it on some signs will also place those figures next to it.

过去3年里，美国的国防预算提高了20%以上；北极星潜艇的订购数量从24艘增加到了41艘；“民兵”导弹的订购数量增加了75%以上；我国战略轰炸机和战备导弹的数量翻了一番；部署在西欧的战术核武器增加了60%多；美国陆军新组建了5个作战师，美国空军新组建了5个战术战斗机中队；我国战略空运能力提高了75%；美国部署到南越的平叛特种部队人数是原来的6倍。我希望以后，再有人公开说美国不够强的时候，记得把这些数据也贴出来。

This is not an easy effort. This requires sacrifice by the people of the United States. But this is a very dangerous and uncertain world. As I said earlier, on three occasions in the last 3 years the United States has had a direct confrontation. No one can say when it will come again. No one expects that our life will be easy, certainly not in this decade, and perhaps not in this century. But we should realize what a burden and responsibility the people of the United States have borne for so many years. Here, a country which lived in isolation, divided and protected by the Atlantic and the Pacific, uninterested in the struggles of the world around it, here in the short space of 18 years after the Second World War, we put ourselves, by our own will and by necessity, into defense of alliances with countries all around the globe. Without the United States, South Viet-Nam would collapse overnight. Without the United States, the SEATO alliance would collapse overnight. Without the United States the CENTO alliance would collapse overnight. Without the United States there would be no NATO. And gradually Europe would drift into neutralism and indifference. Without the efforts of the United States in the Alliance for Progress, the Communist advance onto the mainland of South America would long ago have taken place.

这一切成果并非手到擒来。美国人民需要为此做出牺牲。但我们身处一个危机动荡的世界。正如我此前所说，过去三年里，美国同敌国发生了三次直接对峙。没人知道下次危机何时发生。任何人都不会幻想我们能过上轻松舒适的生活，在60年代时不可能的，甚至在20世纪都过不上。但是我们要明白，美国人民多年来都肩负着重担和责任。美国曾是一个孤立主义国家，被大西洋和太平洋隔绝保护起来，过着与世无争的生活，但二战之后的短短18年，我们就在全球建立了庞大的同盟网，这既是我们的选择，也是必然的结果。如果没有美国的帮助，南越就会一夜崩塌。没有美国的帮助，东南亚条约组织也会顷刻崩溃。没有美国的帮助，中部公约组织也会一夜崩溃。没有美国的帮助，就不会有北约。然后欧洲会慢慢走向中立，不再问世事。没有美国的美洲进步同盟计划，共产阵营现在肯定早就打入了南美腹地。

So this country, which desires only to be free, which desires to be secure, which desired to live at peace for 18 years under three different administrations, has borne more than its share of the burden, has stood watch for more than its number of years. I don't think we are fatigued or tired. We would like to live as we once lived. But history will not permit it. The Communist balance of power is still strong. The balance of power is still on the side of freedom. We are still the keystone in the arch of freedom, and I think we will continue to do as we have done in our past, our duty, and the people of Texas will be in the lead.

所以美国只希望自由，只希望安全，只希望和平，过去18年，美国在前后三届政府的领导下，长期无私地守护着自由世界。我们也希望回到过去那样的生活。但是历史不允许我们倒退。共产阵营的力量依旧非常强大。但自由世界依然占据着优势。我们是自由世界的坚固壁垒，我相信，美国应该一如既往地加持下去，完成我们的使命，而德克萨斯州人民必定一马当先。

So I am glad to come to this State which has played such a significant role in so many efforts in this century, and to say that here in Fort Worth you people will be playing a major role in the maintenance of the security of the United States for the next 10 years. I am confident, as I look to the future, that our chances for security, our chances for peace, are better than they have been in the past. And the reason is because we are stronger. And with that strength is a determination to not only maintain the peace, but also the vital interests of the United States. To that great cause, Texas and the United States are committed.

本世纪以来，德州已经为国家做出了巨大贡献，所以我很高兴能到访这里，未来10年，沃斯堡人民还会继续在我国国防安全中发挥不可替代的作用。我相信，未来我国会更加安全，实现和平的可能性将大大提高。因为随着美国变得更加强大。我们不仅会使用这股磅礴力量捍卫和平，还会保护美国的核心利益。德克萨斯州和美国人民必定会为这一伟大事业鞠躬尽瘁。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

声明：本人仅按照原文翻译内容，演讲内容不代表本人观点。此专栏仅供历史和英语交流学习使用，任何读者皆可引用本人的译本。

希望来学习英语的观众明白：我觉得这些专栏的主要精华在于英语原文，而并非我的译本，我的译本很大程度上只是供来学习历史的观众使用的。本人的英语水平一般，翻译得并不会多么精彩，只能在你看不懂时来帮助你了解这些演讲内容最基本的意思，而且翻译时难免会出现差错，切勿直接完全以我的译本为标准。如发现有翻译错误或者歧义内容，欢迎指正。

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