Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-06-18


Supreme Allied c
i To Bravery and F
The tollotuino tcds released to
the press today as the teri Of
Gen. Etse,ihoiOey's address to the
Joint sesston Of Congress. Nth
the added note that the gen.
eral prefers not to deltver a pre-
pared address and probably iDiH
speak ertemporaneously, though
following the general tines Of the
terf::
Mr.. President, Mr.. Speaker and
members Of the Congress:
My imagination cannot picture
4 more dramatic moment than this
In the life Of an American. 1 stand
here In the presence OF the elected
Federal lawmakers OF our great Re-
public, the very core Of our Amer.
lean political life and q symbol of
these things that we call the Amer
lean heritage. To preserve that
heritage, more than three million
Of our citizens, at your behest, reso-
lutely faced every terror the ruth
less Nazi could devise. I am sum-
moned before you as the represen-
tative-the commander-of those
three million American men and
women, to whom you desire to pay
Americas tribute for military VIC
tory. In humble realization that
they, who earned your commenda-
ton. should properly be here to re-
ceive it, I am nevertheless proud
and honored to serve as your agent
In conveying 1t to them.
This does not seem to be the
moment in which to describe the
campaigns of the European conflict
They will become the substance
of history, and great accounts they
will be! But think you would
want from me some brief estimate
OF the quality of the sons, relatives
and friends you-al America-have
sent to war.
1 have seen the American proved
on backgrounds Of Africa and
Europe over which armies have been
fighting for 1900 years Of recorded
history. None of those battlefields
has seen more worthy soldier than
the trained American.
American Soldier Never Faltered.
Willingly. he has suffered hard
ships: Without whimper he has
made heavy sacrifices. He has en-
dured much, but he has never fall
tered. His aggressiveness-his readi-
ness to close with the enemy-has
become a byword in the embattled
armies of Europe. You have read
many reports of his individual ex-
PLOTS, but not one 10th Of them
ever has been or ever will be told.
Any one of them is SUFFICIENT to I'LL
true American with emotion-with
an intense pride of his countryman
Never have soldiers been called
upon to endure longer sustained
periods of contact with vicious
enemy nor greater punishment from
weather and terrain. The American
has been harassed by rife and auto
matte weapons. pounded by hand
grenades. by artillery and rocket
shells, attacked by tanks and air.
plane bombs! He has faced the
hazards Of countless mines and
BOBBY traps and every form Of static
obstacle. He has conquered them
all!
The tempo Of battle has increased
UNNECESSARILY during the span of
this conflict. When the Germans
launched their blitzkriegs through
Poland. the Low Countries and
France, featuring tactical use of
airpower with mechanical units on
the ground, 1t seemed to q fearful
world that at last there had been
achieved the ultimate In destruction
force-that nothing could stand
against the German Armies.
Allies Met Nazi Challenge.
When America entered the war
arena the arrogant Nazi machine
was at the zenith Of its power. In
1910 it had overrun practically the
whole of Western Europe, while, a
year later, in the east, it had ham,
mered the great Red Army far back
into the reaches of its own territory.
The Allies met this challenge with
vision, determination and a full
comprehension Of the enormity of
the task ahead. America brought
forth her effort from every con-
ceivable source. New techniques of
war were developed. OF these the
most outstanding was the complete
ly co-ordinated use Of ground, air
and sea forces.
To his dismay the German found
that far from having achieved per-
lection in the combined employment
CT all types of destructive power, his
skills and methods were daily out
NODDED and surpassed by the Allies.
Through tactical and strategic uni
fication the Allies successfully un-
dertook the greatest amphibious
landings yet attempted in warfare.
Following each of these, forces were
swiftly built on the beaches, and
sustained by our naval strength. The
next step was always q speedy ad-
vance, applying to the astonished
enemy an alr-ground teamwork that
inflicted upon him defeat after de.
feat. The Services of Supply, by
their devotion to duty performed
real miracles In supporting the bat
tie lines.
America. and her Allies, sent final
ly into Europe such mighty ava
lanche of aggressive power by land.
by sea, by air. as to make the CAM
paigns of 1899 and 1910 seem small
in contrast. The result was the un.
conditional surrender Of an arro-
CANT enemy.
All this America and her Allies
have done.
Tribute to Roosevelt, Churchill.
The real beginning, fer us, was in
December, 194l, when our late great
war leader, President Roosevelt, met
with his friend and partner, Prime
Minister Churchill, and forged a
definition Of Allied organizational
and directional method for the
prosecution Of the war. During most
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