“We shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty.” Thus, in his inaugural address of January 20 1961, did President John F Kennedy declare the aims of his administration. It was the height of the cold war. For the inhabitants of a divided Europe, the speech was electrifying. In retrospect, this vaunting ambition led to the over-reach of the Vietnam war. But it was also an indication of an ennobling idea — that of a superpower with a moral purpose. Despite all the failures, people continued to believe in its purpose: in contrast to the Nazis and communists, the US believed in freedom and democracy.
“我們將不惜任何代價，承擔所有重任，頂住所有困難，支持所有朋友，反對一切敵人，確保自由得以實現和存續。”1961年1月20日，約翰?F?肯尼迪(John F Kennedy)在總統就職演說中宣告了他所將領導的美國政府的目標。那是冷戰正酣的歲月。對于分裂的歐洲來說，這番話聽起來鼓舞人心。回過頭來看，這種傲然宣之于口的雄心導致了漫長的越南戰爭。但它也昭示了一種崇高的思想——出自一個懷著道德意志的超級大國。盡管經歷了種種失敗，人們依然相信其初衷：美國信奉自由和民主，跟納粹和共產主義者形成對比。