Page 108

grow from weakness into the strongest fighting force
in history, and who now has seen us overcome the
forces of tyranny that sought to destroy His civili-
zation.
God grant that in"our pride of the hour we may
not forget the hard tasks that are still before us;
that we may approach these with the same courage,
zeal and patience with which we faced the trials and
problems of the past 4 years.
Our first thoughts, of course-thoughts of grate-
fulness and deep obligation-go out to those of our
loved ones who have been killed or maimed in this
terrible war. On land and sea and in the air Ameri-
can men and women have given their lives so that
this day of ultimate victory might come and assure
the survival of a civilized world. No victory can
make good their loss.
We think of those whom death in this wir has
hurt, taking from them husbands, sons, brothers, and
sisters whom they loved. No victory can bring
back the faces they long to see.
Only the knowledge that the victory, which these
sacrifices have made possible, will be wisely used,
can give them any comfort. It is our responsibility-
ours, the living-to see to it that this victory shall be
a monument worthy of the dead who died to win it.
We think of all the millions of men and women in
our armed forces and merchant marine all over the
world who, after years of sacrifice and hardship and
peril, have been spared by providence from harm.
We think of all the men and women and children
who during these years have carried on at home, in
lonesomeness and anxiety and fear.
Our thoughts go out to the millions of American
io8