Truman's Speech Demanding the Rescue of "Doomed Jews"
4/14/1943
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Senator Harry S. Truman gave this speech to the United Rally to Demand Rescue of Doomed Jews at Chicago Stadium in Chicago, Illinois. It comes from an April 14, 1943, press release file.
This document was identified by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2017 Summer Workshop at the Truman Library.
This document was identified by teachers in our Primarily Teaching 2017 Summer Workshop at the Truman Library.
Transcript
SPEECH TO BE DELIVERED BY SENATOR HARRY S. TRUMANBEFORE THE UNITED RALLY TO DEMAND RESCUE OF DOOMED
JEWS AT CHICAGO STADIUM, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ON
APRIL 14, at 8:00 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING -
TO BE RELEASED ON DELIVERY
Some twenty-three years ago when we men of American returned to this nation's shores, we dedicated ourselves to the principles for which our comrades had laid down their lives. In our hears was a consuming hatred for the forces of oppression which had sought to crush the free people of the world. In our memory was an undying horror of war. We laid aside our weapons and turned to the pursuits of peace. But we knew we could never keep our trust with those who had given their lives on the battlefield of Europe unless we undertook to bring into actual being the liberty and freedom for which we had fought. That war was waged not only that nations might be free but also that the people who make up those nations might be free.
During this time we strove to achieve these ends through the arts of peace, relying on an honor that we hoped existed between nations. Today, again, we find the forces of oppression seeking to crush the free peoples of the world.
Today the flag of freedom and liberty for which those comrades of mine gave up their lives has been trampled into the dust by the iron heel of the barbarian. In conquered Europe we find a once free people enslaved, crushed and brutalized by the most depraved tyrants of all time. Through the edict of a mad Hitler and a degenerate Mussolini, the people of that ancient race, the Jews, are being herded like animals into the Ghettos, the concentration camps, and the wastelands of Europe. The men, the women and the children of this honored people are being starved, yes! actually murdered by the fiendish Huns and Fascists. Today these oppressed people, still with spirit unbroken look for succor to us, we people of the United States, whose flag has always stood for liberty, freedom and justice for all.
The history of America in its fight for freedom and the history of the Jews of America are one and the same. During the dark days of the Revolutionary War, when it appeared that the cause of freedom for which our forefathers then were fighting was a lost cause -- when the spirit of Washington and his brave men was lowest -- the man who took his personal fortune and dedicated it to the freedom of America was that early patriot, Haym Solomon. The history of the South could not be written without recounting the honored deeds of Judah P. Benjamin, Senator of Louisiana, statesman, scholar, and revered leader of the South. So on down through the pages of the history of America, you find the efforts of the Jews -- as of all Americans -- striving for all those things that have made America great.
When in the course of the present conflict it became apparent that the forces of evil were moving along a path toward world-wide conquest -- the ultimate goal, the compete and utter subjugation of all nations of the world -- our great President outlined the Four Freedoms: the Freedom of Speech, the Freedom to Worship God, the Freedom from Want, and the Freedom from Fear. Today we find America and her allies fighting to uphold those principles. We are fighting now that the Four Freedoms shall be, not only freedoms for the United Nations, but a guaranteed birthright to all the peoples of the world.
Merely talking about the Four Freedoms is not enough. This is the time for action. No one can any longer doubt the horrible intentions of the Nazi beasts. We know that they plan the systematic slaughter throughout all of Europe, not only of the Jews but of vast numbers of other innocent peoples. The streets of Europe, running with the blood of the massacred, are stark proof of the insatiable thirst of the Nazi hordes.
Now is the time for fighting. Today, as always in the past, Americans are fighting with honor and glory. Those of us on the home front are devoting all our energies to giving them the weapons they need. But we must do more than that. Of paramount importance today is the firm establishment of the foundation of our post-war world. We must make sure that when final victory is achieved all men throughout the world will live in peace, free from all oppression.
Today -- not tomorrow -- we must do all that is humanly possible to provide a haven and place of safety for all those who can be grasped from the hands of the Nazi butchers. Free lands must be opened to them. Their present oppressors must know that they will be held directly accountable for their bloody deeds. To do all of this, we must draw deeply on our tradition of aid of the oppressed, and on our great national generosity. This is not a Jewish problem. It is an American problem - and we must and we will face it squarely and honorably.
This primary source comes from the Collection HST-SVP: Harry S. Truman Papers as U.S. Senator and Vice President.
National Archives Identifier: 28727411
Full Citation: Speech of Harry S. Truman before the United Rally to Demand Rescue of Doomed Jews at Chicago, Illinois; 4/14/1943; Press Release File April 14, 1943 - United Rally to Demand Rescue of Doomed Jews, Chicago, Illinois, 1935 - 1945; Speech Files, 1935 - 1945; Collection HST-SVP: Harry S. Truman Papers as U.S. Senator and Vice President; Harry S. Truman Library, Independence, MO. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/truman-speech-rescue-jews, April 27, 2024]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.