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DwightD.Eisenhower: FarewellAddress

delivered17January1961

AUTHENTICITYCERTIFIED:Textversionbelowtranscribeddirectlyfromaudio

Goodevening,myfellowAmericans. First,Ishouldliketoexpressmygratitudetotheradioandtelevisionnetworksforthe opportunitiestheyhavegivenmeovertheyearstobringreportsandmessagestoournation. Myspecialthanksgotothemfortheopportunityofaddressingyouthisevening. Threedaysfromnow,afterhalfcenturyintheserviceofourcountry,Ishalllaydownthe responsibilitiesofofficeas,intraditionalandsolemnceremony,theauthorityofthe Presidencyisvestedinmysuccessor.Thisevening,Icometoyouwithamessageofleave takingandfarewell,andtoshareafewfinalthoughtswithyou,mycountrymen. LikeeveryotherLikeeveryothercitizen,IwishthenewPresident,andallwhowilllabor withhim,Godspeed.Ipraythatthecomingyearswillbeblessedwithpeaceandprosperity forall. OurpeopleexpecttheirPresidentandtheCongresstofindessentialagreementonissuesof greatmoment,thewiseresolutionofwhichwillbettershapethefutureofthenation.Myown relationswiththeCongress,whichbeganonaremoteandtenuousbasiswhen,longago,a memberoftheSenateappointedmetoWestPoint,havesincerangedtotheintimateduring thewarandimmediatepostwarperiod,andfinallytothemutuallyinterdependentduring thesepasteightyears.Inthisfinalrelationship,theCongressandtheAdministrationhave,on mostvitalissues,cooperatedwell,toservethenationgood,ratherthanmerepartisanship, andsohaveassuredthatthebusinessofthenationshouldgoforward.So,myofficial relationshipwiththeCongressendsinafeelingonmypartofgratitudethatwehave beenabletodosomuchtogether.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2006.Allrightsreserved.

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Wenowstandtenyearspastthemidpointofacenturythathaswitnessedfourmajorwars amonggreatnations.Threeoftheseinvolvedourowncountry.Despitetheseholocausts, Americaistodaythestrongest,themostinfluential,andmostproductivenationintheworld. Understandablyproudofthispreeminence,weyetrealizethatAmerica'sleadershipand prestigedepend,notmerelyuponourunmatchedmaterialprogress,riches,andmilitary strength,butonhowweuseourpowerintheinterestsofworldpeaceandhuman betterment. ThroughoutAmerica'sadventureinfreegovernment,ourbasicpurposeshavebeentokeep thepeace,tofosterprogressinhumanachievement,andtoenhanceliberty,dignity,and integrityamongpeoplesandamongnations.Tostriveforlesswouldbeunworthyofafree andreligiouspeople.Anyfailuretraceabletoarrogance,orourlackofcomprehension,or readinesstosacrificewouldinflictuponusgrievoushurt,bothathomeandabroad. Progresstowardthesenoblegoalsispersistentlythreatenedbytheconflictnowengulfingthe world.Itcommandsourwholeattention,absorbsourverybeings.Wefaceahostileideology globalinscope,atheisticincharacter,ruthlessinpurpose,andinsiduous[insidious]in method.Unhappily,thedangeritposespromisestobeofindefiniteduration.Tomeetit successfully,thereiscalledfor,notsomuchtheemotionalandtransitorysacrificesofcrisis, butratherthosewhichenableustocarryforwardsteadily,surely,andwithoutcomplaintthe burdensofaprolongedandcomplexstrugglewithlibertythestake.Onlythusshallwe remain,despiteeveryprovocation,onourchartedcoursetowardpermanentpeaceand humanbetterment. Crisestherewillcontinuetobe.Inmeetingthem,whetherforeignordomestic,greatorsmall, thereisarecurringtemptationtofeelthatsomespectacularandcostlyactioncouldbecome themiraculoussolutiontoallcurrentdifficulties.Ahugeincreaseinnewerelementsofour defensesdevelopmentofunrealisticprogramstocureeveryillinagricultureadramatic expansioninbasicandappliedresearchtheseandmanyotherpossibilities,eachpossibly promisinginitself,maybesuggestedastheonlywaytotheroadwewishtotravel. Buteachproposalmustbeweighedinthelightofabroaderconsideration:theneedto maintainbalanceinandamongnationalprograms,balancebetweentheprivateandthepublic economy,balancebetweenthecostandhopedforadvantages,balancebetweentheclearly necessaryandthecomfortablydesirable,balancebetweenouressentialrequirementsasa nationandthedutiesimposedbythenationupontheindividual,balancebetweenactionsof themomentandthenationalwelfareofthefuture.Goodjudgmentseeksbalanceand progress.Lackofiteventuallyfindsimbalanceandfrustration.Therecordofmanydecades standsasproofthatourpeopleandtheirGovernmenthave,inthemain,understoodthese truthsandhaverespondedtothemwell,inthefaceofthreatandstress. Butthreats,newinkindordegree,constantlyarise.Ofthese,Imentiontwoonly.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2006.Allrightsreserved.

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Avitalelementinkeepingthepeaceisourmilitaryestablishment.Ourarmsmustbemighty, readyforinstantaction,sothatnopotentialaggressormaybetemptedtoriskhisown destruction.Ourmilitaryorganizationtodaybearslittlerelationtothatknownofanyofmy predecessorsinpeacetime,or,indeed,bythefightingmenofWorldWarIIorKorea. Untilthelatestofourworldconflicts,theUnitedStateshadnoarmamentsindustry.American makersofplowsharescould,withtimeandasrequired,makeswordsaswell.Butwecanno longerriskemergencyimprovisationofnationaldefense.Wehavebeencompelledtocreatea permanentarmamentsindustryofvastproportions.Addedtothis,threeandahalfmillion menandwomenaredirectlyengagedinthedefenseestablishment.Weannuallyspendon militarysecurityalonemorethanthenetincomeofallUnitedStatescooperations corporations. Nowthisconjunctionofanimmensemilitaryestablishmentandalargearmsindustryisnew intheAmericanexperience.Thetotalinfluenceeconomic,political,evenspiritualisfeltin everycity,everyStatehouse,everyofficeoftheFederalgovernment.Werecognizethe imperativeneedforthisdevelopment.Yet,wemustnotfailtocomprehenditsgrave implications.Ourtoil,resources,andlivelihoodareallinvolved.Soistheverystructureofour society. Inthecouncilsofgovernment,wemustguardagainsttheacquisitionofunwarranted influence,whethersoughtorunsought,bythemilitaryindustrialcomplex.Thepotentialfor thedisastrousriseofmisplacedpowerexistsandwillpersist.Wemustneverlettheweightof thiscombinationendangerourlibertiesordemocraticprocesses.Weshouldtakenothingfor granted.Onlyanalertandknowledgeablecitizenrycancompelthepropermeshingofthe hugeindustrialandmilitarymachineryofdefensewithourpeacefulmethodsandgoals,so thatsecurityandlibertymayprospertogether. Akinto,andlargelyresponsibleforthesweepingchangesinourindustrialmilitaryposture, hasbeenthetechnologicalrevolutionduringrecentdecades.Inthisrevolution,researchhas becomecentralitalsobecomesmoreformalized,complex,andcostly.Asteadilyincreasing shareisconductedfor,by,oratthedirectionof,theFederalgovernment. Today,thesolitaryinventor,tinkeringinhisshop,hasbeenovershadowedbytaskforcesof scientistsinlaboratoriesandtestingfields.Inthesamefashion,thefreeuniversity, historicallythefountainheadoffreeideasandscientificdiscovery,hasexperienceda revolutionintheconductofresearch.Partlybecauseofthehugecostsinvolved,a governmentcontractbecomesvirtuallyasubstituteforintellectualcuriosity.Foreveryold blackboardtherearenowhundredsofnewelectroniccomputers.Theprospectofdomination ofthenation'sscholarsbyFederalemployment,projectallocations,andthepowerofmoney iseverpresentandisgravelytoberegarded. Yet,inholdingscientificresearchanddiscoveryinrespect,asweshould,wemustalsobe alerttotheequalandoppositedangerthatpublicpolicycoulditselfbecomethecaptiveofa scientifictechnologicalelite.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2006.Allrightsreserved.

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Itisthetaskofstatesmanshiptomold,tobalance,andtointegratetheseandotherforces, newandold,withintheprinciplesofourdemocraticsystemeveraimingtowardthe supremegoalsofourfreesociety. Anotherfactorinmaintainingbalanceinvolvestheelementoftime.Aswepeerintosociety's future,weyouandI,andourgovernmentmustavoidtheimpulsetoliveonlyfortoday, plunderingforourowneaseandconveniencethepreciousresourcesoftomorrow.Wecannot mortgagethematerialassetsofourgrandchildrenwithoutriskingthelossalsooftheir politicalandspiritualheritage.Wewantdemocracytosurviveforallgenerationstocome,not tobecometheinsolventphantomoftomorrow. Duringthelonglaneofthehistoryyettobewritten,Americaknowsthatthisworldofours, evergrowingsmaller,mustavoidbecomingacommunityofdreadfulfearandhate,andbe, instead,aproudconfederationofmutualtrustandrespect.Suchaconfederationmustbeone ofequals.Theweakestmustcometotheconferencetablewiththesameconfidenceasdo we,protectedaswearebyourmoral,economic,andmilitarystrength.Thattable,though scarredbymanyfastfrustrationspastfrustrations,cannotbeabandonedforthecertainty agonyofdisarmamentofthebattlefield. Disarmament,withmutualhonorandconfidence,isacontinuingimperative.Togetherwe mustlearnhowtocomposedifferences,notwitharms,butwithintellectanddecentpurpose. Becausethisneedissosharpandapparent,IconfessthatIlaydownmyofficial responsibilitiesinthisfieldwithadefinitesenseofdisappointment.Asonewhohaswitnessed thehorrorandthelingeringsadnessofwar,asonewhoknowsthatanotherwarcouldutterly destroythiscivilizationwhichhasbeensoslowlyandpainfullybuiltoverthousandsofyears,I wishIcouldsaytonightthatalastingpeaceisinsight. Happily,Icansaythatwarhasbeenavoided.Steadyprogresstowardourultimategoalhas beenmade.Butsomuchremainstobedone.Asaprivatecitizen,Ishallneverceasetodo whatlittleIcantohelptheworldadvancealongthatroad. So,inthis,mylastgoodnighttoyouasyourPresident,Ithankyouforthemany opportunitiesyouhavegivenmeforpublicserviceinwarandinpeace.Itrustinthatin thatinthatserviceyoufindsomethingsworthy.Asfortherestofit,Iknowyouwillfind waystoimproveperformanceinthefuture. YouandI,myfellowcitizens,needtobestronginourfaiththatallnations,underGod,will reachthegoalofpeacewithjustice.Maywebeeverunswervingindevotiontoprinciple, confidentbuthumblewithpower,diligentinpursuitoftheNations'greatgoals. Toallthepeoplesoftheworld,IoncemoregiveexpressiontoAmerica'sprayerfuland continuingaspiration:Wepraythatpeoplesofallfaiths,allraces,allnations,mayhavetheir greathumanneedssatisfiedthatthosenowdeniedopportunityshallcometoenjoyittothe fullthatallwhoyearnforfreedommayexperienceitsfewspiritualblessings.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2006.Allrightsreserved.

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Thosewhohavefreedomwillunderstand,also,itsheavyresponsibilitythatallwhoare insensitivetotheneedsofotherswilllearncharityandthatthesourcesscourgesof poverty,disease,andignorancewillbemade[to]disappearfromtheearthandthatinthe goodnessoftime,allpeopleswillcometolivetogetherinapeaceguaranteedbythebinding forceofmutualrespectandlove. Now,onFridaynoon,Iamtobecomeaprivatecitizen.Iamproudtodoso.Ilookforwardto it. Thankyou,andgoodnight.

TranscriptionbyMichaelE.Eidenmuller. PropertyofAmericanRhetoric.com. Copyright2006.Allrightsreserved.

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