伍德罗ˇ威尔逊 (WOODROW WILSON)

关于宣战对国会的演讲 War Message to Congress

世界应该让民主ˇ有安全。

    1914年夏ˇ欧洲的同盟国(德国和奥甸帝国)与协约国(英国、法国和俄国)之间爆发了战争。美国人从未参与欧洲的战争ˇ而且伍德罗ˇ威尔逊总统宣称ˇ美国人应当“名符其实地保持中立……表里一致地保持公正。”华盛顿和杰斐逊的这一重要规定经门罗主义得到进一步强调ˇ即美国应避免卷入国际政治斗争。但事实证明ˇ保持中立是十分困难的。1915年5月ˇ一艘德国潜艇击沈了英国客轮 “露西塔尼亚”号ˇ包括一百二十八名美国人在内共有约一千二百人丧生ˇ于是舆论哗然。

        1916年威尔逊仰赖“他使我们避开了战争”这一口号在总统竞选中再次获胜。威尔逊认爲他能够促使交战的双方和解ˇ因此将助手派往欧洲ˇ试图找到可能结束战争的条件。1917年1月ˇ威尔逊对国会发表讲话ˇ谈及他正努力寻找一个方案以达到 “没有胜利的和平”ˇ即既无赢家也无输家的解决办法ˇ一个将由国际“和平联盟”确保的解决办法。威尔逊颇有远见地警告说ˇ一种带惩罚性质的和平会给另一场欧洲冲突种下祸根。

       德国保证不再突然袭击非武装船只ˇ但在1917年初重新开始了毫无节制的潜艇进攻ˇ击沈了几艘美国商船。威尔逊对德国的政策忍无可忍ˇ遂于1917年4月2日请求国会批准宣战。这里节录的威尔逊关于宣战的演讲ˇ将一百多万美军投入世界历史上最血腥的冲突之一。

       大战结束时ˇ威尔逊倡议建立国际联盟。当他从欧洲召开的和会返回美国时ˇ肩负争取民衆支持和平条约和国际联盟的任务ˇ因爲共和党人已控制了参议院。他的跨国旅行日程安排太紧ˇ损害了健康。l 919年9月威尔逊终于病倒ˇ无法继续承担总统职责。

    ……今年1月3日我正式通知你们ˇ德意志帝国政府爲表了异乎寻常的通告ˇ宣称从1月1日起它的宗旨是把法律的ˇ制或仁慈的考虑统统抛置一边ˇ用它的潜艇去击沈任何驶近英国和爱尔兰港口的船只ˇ或驶近欧洲西海岸或地中海内德国的敌人所控制的任何港口的船只。这似乎是德国潜艇战在大战之初的目标。但从去年4月起ˇ德意志帝国对其潜艇指挥官们多少有所ˇ制ˇ以实践当时它对我们许下的诺言即不击沈客轮ˇ对其他它的潜艇可能摧毁的船只ˇ只要不作抵抗、留在原地ˇ便会ˇ它们预先发出警告ˇ而且让它们的船员至少有机会在不设防的船上逃生。在残酷无情的战争中ˇ一桩桩令人悲痛的事件证明ˇ德方的克制是很不够的ˇ而且带有任意性ˇ但确实有一定程度的节制。而新政策把任何ˇ制都取ˇ了。任何种类的船只ˇ不论它挂什麽旗ˇ具有什麽性质ˇ载什麽货ˇ驶ˇ何处ˇ完成什麽使命ˇ全都被击沈ˇ不给预先警告ˇ也全然不顾船上人员的死活ˇ友好中立国的船只与敌国的船只同样对待。甚至连医护船以及ˇ比利时死伤惨重的人民运送救济物资的船只ˇˇ后者被德国政府允许安全通过禁海而且带有明确无误的标记ˇˇ同样也被丧失同情心和原则性的德军击沈。

    有一度我无法ˇ信ˇ这种行径竟然真是一个一贯赞同文明世界人道惯例的政府的所作所爲。国际法起源于人类试图制订的某种的海洋上得到尊重和遵守的法律ˇ该法律规定ˇ任何国家无权统治海洋ˇ世界各国的船只都可以在海上自由航行。……德国政府以报复和必需爲借口ˇ已将这起码的法律规定一脚踢开ˇ因爲德国在海上除了毫不顾忌人道ˇ蔑视对国际交往的共识ˇ穷兵ˇ武之外ˇ干不了什麽别的事。我ˇ在ˇ到的不是德国在海上造成的财産损失ˇ尽管损失惨重ˇ而是对大批平民生命肆无忌惮的屠杀ˇ而这些男人、妇女和儿童所追求的目标ˇ来ˇˇ甚至在ˇ代历史最黑暗的时期ˇˇ被认爲是无辜和合法的。财産可以赔偿ˇ而和平无辜人民的生命则无法赔偿。目前德国对付海上贸易的潜艇战其实是以人类爲敌。

    这是针对所有国家的战争。美国船只被击沈ˇ美国公民葬身海底ˇˇ息传来令人震惊。但其它中立或友好国家的船只和人员在海上遭到ˇ同的厄运ˇ没有什麽差别。这是对整个人类的挑战。每个国家必须独自决定它应如何对付这一挑战。我们必须适应我国的特点和宗旨审时度势ˇ谨慎考虑ˇ以作出我们自己的决定。我们绝对不应感情用事。我们的动机既非爲复仇也不是爲了耀武扬威ˇ而仅仅是爲维护权利ˇ维护人权ˇ在这场斗争中我们国家仅仅是一名斗士……

    我深刻认识到我正采取的步骤的严重乃至悲剧的性质ˇ以及它所包含的重大责任ˇ但是我对履行自己由ˇ法规定的义务毫不迟疑。正是以这样的态度我建议国会宣布ˇ德意志帝国最近的行动事实上已是对美国政府和人民发动了战争ˇ美国正式接受已强加于它的交战国地位ˇ美国将立即行动ˇ不仅使国家处于完全的防御状态ˇ而且将竭尽全力ˇ使用一切手段迫使德国政府屈服ˇ结束战争。……

    当我们采取行动ˇ这些重大行动的时候ˇ我们自己应当清楚ˇ也应让全世界明白我们的动机和目的是什麽。……我们的目的……是维护国际生活的和平与正义的原则ˇ反对自私和专制的力量ˇ我们要在世界上真正自由和自治的各国人民之中确立一种意志与行动的概念ˇ有了它就能保证这些原则得到遵循。当问题涉及世界和平ˇ涉及世界各国人民的自由时ˇ当组织起来的势力支持某些专制政府按自己的意志而非人民的意志独断专行ˇ从而对世界人民的和平与自由构成威胁时ˇ中立便不再是可行或可取的了。我们看到ˇ在这种情况下中立已成爲历史。我们处在一个新时代的开端ˇ在这个时代中人们坚决要求ˇ凡文明国家每个公民遵循的关于行爲和承担罪责的准则ˇ各个国家和它们的政府也必须同样遵循。

    我们与德国人民之间不存ˇˇ。对他们ˇ我们除了同情和友谊没有别的情感。他们的政府投入战争并不是因爲人民的推动ˇ他们事先一无所知ˇ并未表示赞同。决定打这场战争与过去不幸的岁月中决定打一场战争的方式ˇ同。旧时统治者从不征求人民的意见ˇ战争的挑起和发动全都是爲着王朝的利益或是爲野心勃勃的人组成的小集团的利益ˇ这些人惯 于利用同胞作爲走卒和工具。……

    我们接受这一敌意的挑战ˇ因爲我们知道与这样一个采用这种手段的政府是绝对不可做朋友的ˇ只要它组织起来的力量埋伏着准备实ˇ不可告人的目的ˇ世界上一切民主政府便无法得到安全保障。我们接受的将是一场与这个自由的天敌展开的宏大战役ˇ如有必要ˇ将动用我国的全部力量去制止和粉碎敌人的意图和势力。我们感到欣慰ˇ因爲敌人撕去僞善的面纱ˇ使我们看清了真ˇˇ这样我们将爲世界最终和平ˇ爲世界各国人民包括德国人民的解放而战ˇ爲大大小小各国的权利和世界各地人们选择自己的生活与服从权威的方式的特权而战。世界应该让民主ˇ有安全。世界和平应建立在政治自由历经考验的基础上。我们没有什麽私利可图。我们不ˇ要征服ˇ不ˇ要统治。我们不爲自己索取赔偿ˇ对我们将慷慨作出的牺牲不求物质补偿。我们只不过是爲人类权利而战的斗士之一。当各国的信念和自由能确保人类权利不可侵犯之时ˇ我们将心满意足。

    在我们面前很可能有旷日持久的战火考验和惨重牺牲。把我们伟大、爱好和平的人民领入战争是件可怕的事。因爲这场战争是有史以来最血腥最残酷的ˇ甚至文明自身似已岌岌可危。然而权利比和平更宝贵。我们将爲自己一ˇ最珍惜的东西而战ˇˇ爲了民主ˇ爲人民服从权威以求在自己的政府中拥有发言权ˇ爲弱小国家的权利和自由ˇ爲自由的各国人民和谐一致共同ˇ有权利以给所有国家带来和平与安全ˇ使世界本身最终获得自由。爲完成这样一个任务ˇ我们可以ˇ出我们的生命财産ˇˇ出我们自己以及我们所有的一切ˇ我们满怀自豪ˇ因爲我们知道ˇ这样的一天已经到来ˇ美国有幸得以用她的鲜血和力量捍卫那些原则ˇ正是它们给予她生命和快乐ˇ给予她一ˇ珍视的和平。上帝保佑她ˇ她别无选择。

...On the third of February last I officially laid before you the extraordinary announcement of the Imperial German Government that on and after the first day of February it was its purpose to put aside all restraints of law or of humanity and use its submarines to sink every vessel that sought to approach either the ports of Great Britain and Ireland or the western coasts of Europe or any of the ports controlled by the enemies of Germany within the Mediterranean. That had seemed to be the object of the German submarine warfare earlier in the war, but since April of last year the Imperial Government had somewhat restrained the commanders of its undersea craft in conformity with its promise then given to us that passenger boats should not be sunk and that due warning would be given to all other vessels which its submarines might seek to destroy, when no resistance was offered or escape attempted, and care taken that their crews were given at least a fair chance to save their lives in their open boats. The precautions taken were meager and haphazard enough, as was proved in distressing instance after instance in the progress of the cruel and unmanly business, but a certain degree of restraint was observed. The new policy has swept every restriction aside. Vessels of every kind, whatever their flag, their character, their cargo, their destination, their errand, have been ruthlessly sent to the bottom without warning and without thought of help or mercy for those on board, the vessels of friendly neutrals along with those of belligerents. Even hospital ships and ships carrying relief to the sorely bereaved and stricken people of Belgium, though the latter were provided with safe conduct through the proscribed areas by the German Government itself and were distinguished by unmistakable marks of identity, have been sunk with the same reckless lack of compassion or of principle.

      I was for a little while unable to believe that such things would in fact be done by any government that had hitherto subscribed to the humane practices of civilized nations. International law had its origin in the attempt to set up some law which would be respected and observed upon the seas, where no nation had right of dominion and where lay the free highways of the world. . . . This minimum of right the German Government has swept aside under the plea of retaliation and necessity and because it had no weapons which it could use at sea except these which it is impossible to employ as it is employing them without throwing to the winds all scruples of humanity or of respect for the understandings that were supposed to underlie the intercourse of the world. I am not now thinking of the loss of property involved, immense and serious as that is, but only of the wanton and wholesale destruction of the lives of non-combatants, men, women, and children, engaged in pursuits which have always, even in the darkest periods of modern history, been deemed innocent and legitimate. Property can be paid for; the lives of peaceful and innocent people cannot be. The present German submarine warfare against commerce is a warfare against mankind.

      It is a war against all nations. American ships have been sunk, American lives taken, in ways which it has stirred us very deeply to learn of, but the ships and people of other neutral and friendly nations have been sunk and overwhelmed in the waters in the same way. There has been no discrimination. The challenge is to all mankind. Each nation must decide for itself how it will meet it. The choice we make for ourselves must be made with a moderation of counsel and a temperateness of judgment befitting our character and our motives as a nation. We must put excited feeling away. Our motive will not be revenge or the victorious assertion of the physical might of the nation, but only the vindication of right, of human right, of which we are only a single champion. . . .

      With a profound sense of the solemn and even tragical character of the step I am taking and of the grave responsibilities which it involves, but in unhesitating obedience to what I deem my constitutional duty, I advise that the Congress declare the recent course of the Imperial German Government to be in fact nothing less than war against the government and people of the United States; that it formally accept the status of belligerent which has thus been thrust upon it; and that it take immediate steps not only to put the country in a more thorough state of defense but also to exert all its power and employ all its resources to bring the Government of the German Empire to terms and end the war. . . .

      While we do these things, these deeply momentous things, let us be very clear, and make very clear to all the world what our motives and our objects are. . . . Our object. . . is to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the life of the world as against selfish and autocratic power and to set up amongst the really free and selfgoverned peoples of the world such a concert of purpose and of action as will henceforth insure the observance of those principles. Neutrality is no longer feasible or desirable where the peace of the world is involved and the freedom of its peoples, and the menace to that peace and freedom lies in the existence of autocratic governments backed by organized force which is controlled wholly by their will, not by the will of their people. We have seen the last of neutrality in such circumstances. We are at the beginning of an age in which it will be insisted that the same standards of conduct and of responsibility for wrong done shall be observed among nations and their governments that are observed among the individual citizens of civilized states.

      We have no quarrel with the German people. We have no feeling towards them but one of sympathy and friendship. It was not upon their impulse that their government acted in entering this war. It was not with their previous knowledge or approval. It was a war determined upon as wars used to be determined upon in the old, unhappy days when peoples were nowhere consulted by their rulers and wars were provoked and waged in the interest of dynasties or of little groups of ambitious men who were accustomed to use their fellow men as pawns and tools....

      We are accepting this challenge of hostile purpose because we know that in such a Government, following such methods, we can never have a friend; and that in the presence of its organized powder, always lying in wait to accomplish we know not what purpose, there can be no assured security for the democratic Governments of the world. We are now about to accept gauge of battle with this natural foe to liberty and shall, if necessary, spend the whole force of the nation to check and nullify its pretensions and its power. We are glad, now that we see the facts with no veil of false pretense about them, to fight thus for the ultimate peace of the world and for the liberation of its peoples, the German peoples included: for the rights of nations great and small and the privilege of men everywhere to choose their way of life and of obedience. The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them....

      There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts,―for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own Governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, "with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.