Commemoration of the Battle of Verdun at St. Mihiel American Cemetary and Memorial

"They taught us that the horror of war does not discriminate among men, that rampant nationalism breeds distrust and disunity and that the result of this is neither glory nor gain, but death and destruction. They taught us that our future lies not in inward suspicion but in outward cooperation."
Thiaucourt, France • September 22, 1968

Mr. Minister, Mr. Prefect, Monseigneur Bishop, all military, civil and religious personalities, ladies and gentlemen. It is an honor for me to welcome you to this ground which has been made American soil in honor of those Americans who fell here.

This place is a solemn reminder that the price of freedom comes high but that America remains steadfast in its deduction to the defense of freedom. This ground serves as an equally solemn reminder of France’s deduction to freedom. So I pay tribute not only to those Americans who came here and were never to go home, but equally to those hundreds of thousands of young Frenchmen who fell defending their homeland. The bravery and sacrifice of all those who fought here is legendary.

They taught us the meaning of courage and honor and duty. But they taught us something more important. They taught us that the horror of war does not discriminate among men, that rampant nationalism breeds distrust and disunity and that the result of this is neither glory nor gain, but death and destruction. They taught us that our future lies not in inward suspicion but in outward cooperation.

These men believed they were fighting the war to end all wars. It does them no dishonor to say they were wrong. They surely were not responsible for what followed. Perhaps in the period between the wars we were too close to the tragedy of 1914-1918 to really believe that it could not, must not happen again. Unfortunately, however, the world wars plunged us into another holocaust.

Only after this second tragedy did we realize that disunity threatened to destroy our civilization. Today Europeans and Americans are beginning to recognize their common bond and are working -- each in his own way -- to achieve that unity which guarantees peace among brothers. Frenchmen and Americans have proven often in the past that working together they can ensure liberty and progress for both. The need for close cooperation is still with us. For the ideals and freedoms for which Frenchmen and Americans gave their full measure in the past are still under attack today.

Here, in France, we stand on soil where the blood of thousands of Americans has been given freely, courageously, successful, so that freedom should not perish from this glorious land. I have stood on the ground of York Town in Virginia where the blood of Frenchmen was shed so that the possibility of freedom could come into existence for our country. None of us can avoid the thought that, because of these sacrifices, France and the United States are free today in a way in which others are not. And we should be on our knees every morning, noon and night thanking god for the fact that in those moments of cross Frenchmen and Americans have stood together to preserve freedom for all of us who are here today enjoying it.

Let us at the same time pledge ourselves again to continue to stand together in prosperity as we have in adversity.

Peace requires the simple but powerful recognition that what we have in common as human beings is more important and crucial than what divides us.
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Sargent Shriver
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