[歷史] VJ Day Speech

---

Three months have passed since I asked you to join with me in an act of thanksgiving for the defeat of Germany. We then rejoiced that peace had returned to Europe, but we knew that a strong and relentless enemy still remained to be conquered in Asia. No one could then tell how long or how heavy would prove the struggle that still awaiting us. Japan has surrendered, so let us join in thanking Almighty God that war has ended throughout the world, and that in every country men may now turn their industry, skill, and science to repairing its frightful devastation and to building prosperity and happiness.
Our sense of deliverance is overpowering, and with it all, we have a right to feel that we have done our duty. I ask you again at this solemn hour to remember all who have laid down their lives, and all who have endured the loss of those they love. Remember, too, the sufferings of those who fell into the hands of the enemy, whether as prisoners of war or because of their homes had been overrun. They have been in our thoughts all through these dark years, and let us pray that one result of the defeat of Japan may be many happy reunions of those who have been long separated from each other.
The campaigns in the Far East will be famous in history for many reasons. There is one feature of them which is a special source of pride to me, and also to you, the citizens of our British Commonwealth and Empire to whom I speak. In those campaigns there have fought, side by side with our allies, representatives of almost every unit in our great community – men from the Old Country, men from the Dominions, from India, and the Colonies. They fought in brotherhood; through their courage and endurance they conquered. To all of them and to the women who shared with them the hardships and dangers of war I send my proud and grateful thanks.
The war is over. You know, I think, that those four words have for the Queen and myself the same significance, simple yet immense, that they have for you. Our hearts are full to overflowing, as are your own. Yet there is not one of us who has experienced this terrible war who does not realise that we shall feel its inevitable consequences long after we have all forgotten our rejoicings of today.
But that relief from past dangers must not blind us to the demands of the future. The British people here at home have added lustre to the true fame of our Islands, and we stand today with our whole Empire in the forefront of the victorious United Nations. Great, therefore, is our responsibility to make sure by the actions of every man and every woman here and throughout the Empire and Commonwealth that the peace gained amid measureless trials and suffering shall not be cast away.
In many anxious times in our long history the unconquerable spirit of our peoples has served us well, bringing us to safety out of great peril. Yet I doubt if anything in all that has gone before has matched the enduring courage and the quiet determination which you have shown during these last six years. It is of this unconquerable spirit that I would speak to you tonight. For great as are the deeds that you have done, there must be no falling off from this high endeavour. We have spent freely of all that we had: now we shall have to work hard to restore what has been lost, and to establish peace on the unshakable foundations, not alone of material strength, but also of moral authority. Then, indeed, the curse of war may be lifted from the world, and States and peoples, great and small, may dwell together through long periods of tranquillity in brighter and better days than we ourselves have known.
The world has come to look for certain things, for certain qualities from the peoples of the Commonwealth and Empire. We have our part to play in restoring the shattered fabric of civilization. It is a proud and difficult part, and if you carry on in the years to come as you have done so splendidly in the war, you and your children can look forward to the future, not with fear, but with high hopes of a surer happiness for all. It is to this great task that I call you now, and I know that I shall not call in vain. In the meantime, from the bottom of my heart I thank my Peoples for all they have done, not only for themselves but for mankind.

---

翻譯：

三個月之前，本王與你們一同慶祝德國的投降，當時我們知道和平已來到歐洲，但亞洲仍有一個強大無情的敵人，無人知道戰事會持續多久，亦無從得知戰事會否擴大。現在，日本投降了，讓我們一起感謝全能的上帝，讓世界的戰爭得以平息，讓每位國民得以利用工業、技術及科技，來修復殘破不堪的世界，並為世界帶來繁榮與喜樂。
這種壓倒性的解脫感，如同感受到我們的使命已經完成了。在這莊嚴時刻，本王希望你們記著所有獻出性命的人，所有失去至親的人，所有受敵人折磨，包括成為戰俘或失去家園的人，他們在回憶中與我們一起度過了這段黑暗歲月。祈求日本的投降，可使分離已久的人得以幸福重聚。
遠東的戰事絕對值得記入史冊，其中一點，值得本王、你們、屬國及帝國臣民感到自豪。在多場戰事中，我們各地的代表以及盟軍的各個單位，包括來自祖國、自治領、印度，以及殖民地的人，都情同手足一起作戰，並以無比勇氣及堅毅，取得戰爭的勝利。在此，對所有參與戰事的人，以及一同度過艱辛的女性，本王為你們感到自豪，並為此表示衷心感謝。
戰爭結束，這四個字對本王及王后來說，相信與你們感受一樣，簡單而強烈。我們的心情亦與你們一樣激動。然而，在今天的慶祝過後，相信我們還要為這場可怕的戰爭，經歷一段長時間的痛楚。
但過去的慘痛絕對不能成為我們追求美好將來的阻礙。英國本地的民眾已為群島帶來聲譽，並與帝國一起站在勝利國之前列。為此，我們有重大的責任，來確保帝國及屬國的每位男士女士，都不會拋棄經歷無數考驗及苦痛所換來的和平。
長久以來的動盪歲月，國民堅毅不屈之精神，讓我們得以度過重重難關。然而，過去六年各位所展現的勇氣及決心，絕對是以往所無與倫比的。在這種不屈不撓的精神下，本王提醒你們，你們所成就的如此偉大，就不要由此退縮。我們為此耗盡了一切，現在就是我們努力去修復一切的時候，並為今後的和平打造穩固的基礎，這不單是物質上的基礎，更是精神道德上的基礎。屆時，世界各地都得以擺脫戰爭的詛咒，而各國人民，不論長幼，就能過著比我們所認知更光明更美好的生活。
世界正為將來摸索著方向，而同樣的事情亦發生在屬國及帝國身上。我們所有人都能在修復破碎文明中貢獻出一分力，這是一份令人自豪，及困難重重的工作，希望你們能繼續發揮戰時的傑出表現，你和你的孩子們不再畏懼，而是對將來充滿著厚望地生活。這就是本王給予你們的任務，相信各位亦不會辜負本王的期望。最後，為全國人民所造的一切，不論為著自己或為著人類，本王都由心致以感謝。