Eduardo Rivas
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The Tragedy of Europe 1946 Winston Churchill
Discurso pronunciado por el líder de la oposición británica en la Universidad de
Zürich,
Suiza, el 19 de septiembre de 1946.
I wish to speak to you today about the tragedy of Europe. This noble continent,
comprising on the whole the fairest and the most cultivated regions of the earth,
enjoying
a temperate and equable climate, is the home of all the great parent races of
the western
world. It is the fountain of Christian faith and Christian ethics. It is the
origin of most of
the culture, arts, philosophy and science both of ancient and modern times. If
Europe
were once united in the sharing of its common inheritance, there would be no
limit to the
happiness, to the prosperity and glory which its three or four hundred million
people
would enjoy. Yet it is from Europe that have sprung that series of frightful
nationalistic
quarrels, originated by the Teutonic nations, which we have seen even in this
twentieth
century and in our own lifetime, wreck the peace and mar the prospects of all
mankind.
And what is the plight to which Europe has been reduced? Some of the smaller
States have indeed made a good recovery, but over wide areas a vast quivering
mass of
tormented, hungry, care-worn and bewildered human beings gape at the ruins of
their
cities and homes, and scan the dark horizons for the approach of some new peril,
tyranny
or terror. Among the victors there is a babel of jarring voices: among the
vanquished the
sullen silence of despair. That is all that Europeans, grouped in so many
ancient States
and nations, that is all that the Germanic Powers have got by tearing each other
to pieces
and spreading havoc far and wide. Indeed, but for the fact that the great
Republic across
the Atlantic Ocean has at length realised that the ruin or enslavement of Europe
would
involve their own fate as well, and has stretched out hands of succor and
guidance, the
Dark Ages would have returned in all their cruelty and squalor. They may still
return.
Yet all the while there is a remedy which, if it were generally and
spontaneously
adopted, would as if by a miracle transform the whole scene, and would in a few
years
make all Europe, or the greater part of it, as free and as happy as Switzerland
is today.
What is this sovereign remedy? It is to recreate the European Family, or as much
of it as
we can, and provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, in
safety and in
freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe. In this way only will
hundreds
of millions of toilers be able to regain the simple joys and hopes which make
life worth
living. The process is simple. All that is needed is the resolve of hundreds of
millions of
men and women to do right instead of wrong and gain as their reward blessing
instead of
cursing.
Much work has been done upon this task by the exertions of the Pan-European
Union which owes so much to Count Coudenhove-Kalergi and which commanded the
services of the famous French patriot and statesman, Aristide Briand. There is
also that
immense body of doctrine and procedure, which was brought into being amid high
hopes
after the first world war, as the League of Nations. The League of Nations did
not fail
because of its principles or conceptions. It failed because these principles
were deserted
by those States who had brought it into being. It failed because the Governments
of those
days feared to face the facts, and act while time remained. This disaster must
not be
repeated. There is therefore much knowledge and material with which to build;
and also
bitter dear-bought experience.
I was very glad to read in the newspaper two days ago that my friend President
Truman had expressed his interest and sympathy with this great design. There is
no
reason why a regional organization of Europe should in any way conflict with the
world
organization of the United Nations. On the contrary, I believe that the larger
synthesis
will only survive if it is founded upon coherent natural groupings. There is
already a
natural grouping in the Western hemisphere. We British have our own Commonwealth
of CXXXVI Nations. These do not weaken, on the contrary they strengthen, the world
organization.
They are in fact its main support. And why should there not be a European group
which
could give a sense of enlarged patriotism and common citizenship to the
distracted
peoples of this turbulent and mighty continent and why should it not take its
rightful place
with the other great groupings in shaping the destinies of men? In order that
this should
be accomplished there must be an act of faith in which millions of families
speaking
many languages must consciously take part.
We all know that the two world wars through which we have passed arose out of
the vain passion of a newly-united Germany to play the dominating part in the
world. In
this last struggle crimes and massacres have been committed for which there is
no parallel
since the invasions of the Mongols in the fourteenth century and no equal at any
time in
human history. The guilty must be punished. Germany must be deprived of the
power to
rearm and make another aggressive war. But when all this has been done, as it
will be
done, as it is being done, there must be an end to retribution. There must be
what Mr.
Gladstone many years ago called "a blessed act of oblivion." We must all turn
our backs
upon the horrors of the past. We must look to the future. We cannot afford to
drag
forward across the years that are to come the hatreds and revenges which have
sprung
from the injuries of the past. If Europe is to be saved from infinite misery,
and indeed
from final doom, there must be an act of faith in the European family and an act
of
oblivion against all the crimes and follies of the past.
Can the free people of Europe rise to the height of these resolves of the soul
and
instincts of the spirit of man? If they can, the wrongs and injuries which have
been
inflicted will have been washed away on all sides by the miseries which have
been
endured. Is there any need for further floods of agony? Is it the only lesson of
history that
mankind is unteachable? Let there be justice, mercy and freedom. The peoples
have only
to will it, and all will achieve their hearts' desire.
I am now going to say something that will astonish you. The first step in the
recreation
of the European family must be a partnership between France and Germany. In
this way only can France recover the moral leadership of Europe. There can be no
revival
of Europe without a spiritually great France and a spiritually great Germany.
The
structure of the United States of Europe, if well and truly built, will be such
as to make
the material strength of a single state less important. Small nations will count
as much as
large ones and gain their honour by their contribution to the common cause. The
ancient
states and principalities of Germany, freely joined together for mutual
convenience in a
federal system, might each take their individual place among the United States
of Europe.
I shall not try to make a detailed programme for hundreds of millions of people
who want
to be happy and free, prosperous and safe, who wish to enjoy the four freedoms
of which
the great President Roosevelt spoke, and live in accordance with the principles
embodied
in the Atlantic Charter. If this is their wish, they have only to say so, and
means can
certainly be found, and machinery erected, to carry that wish into full
fruition.
But I must give you a warning. Time may be short. At present there is a
breathing-space. The cannon have ceased firing. The fighting has stopped; but
the
dangers have not stopped. If we are to form the United States of Europe or
whatever
name or form it may take, we must begin now.
In these present days we dwell strangely and precariously under the shield and
protection of the atomic bomb. The atomic bomb is still only in the hands of a
State and
nation which we know will never use it except in the cause of right and freedom.
But it
may well be that in a few years this awful agency of destruction will be
widespread, and
the catastrophe following from its use by several warring nations will not only
bring to an
end to all that we call civilisation, but may possibly disintegrate the globe
itself.
I must now sum up the propositions which are before you. Our constant aim must
be to build and fortify the strength of U.N.O. Under and within that world
concept we
must re-create the European family in a regional structure called, it may be,
the United
States of Europe. The first step is to form a Council of Europe. If at first all
the States of
Europe are not willing or able to join the Union, we must nevertheless proceed
to CXXXVII
assemble and combine those who will and those who can. The salvation of the
common
people of every race and of every land from war or servitude must be established
on solid
foundations and must be guarded by the readiness of all men and women to die
rather
than submit to tyranny. In all this urgent work, France and Germany must take
the lead
together. Great Britain, the British Commonwealth of Nations, mighty America,
and I
trust Soviet Russia--for then indeed all would be well--must be the friends and
sponsors
of the new Europe and must champion its right to live and shine.