美国建国史话：二战中立外交立场

choi

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VOA Chinese, Oct 15, 2011.
http://www.voanews.com/chinese/news/20111015-Making-of-nation-131917023.html

, which is translated from
American History: As War in Europe Expands, US Continues Policy of Neutrality. VOA, May 11, 2011.
http://www.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/us-history/War-in-Europe-Expands-US-121661844.html

Note:
(a) The speech given by FDR: 罗斯福总统：“美国绝大多数人寻求和平，寻求国内和平，也寻求别国和平，从而不会使美国国内和平受到威胁。The overwhelming masses of our people seek peace. Peace at home, and the kind of peace in other lands, , which will not jeopardize our peace at home."

(i) FDR's Fireside Chat, On European War. Sept 3, 1939.
(ii) The same day Britain and France, whcih had pacts with Poland, declared war on Germany.

Invasion of Poland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasion_of_Poland
(Sept 1-Oct 6, 1939)

Germany invaded on Sept 1, followed by Soviet Red Army's invasion of Eastern Poland on Sept 17.

(b) The report says, "英国首相张伯伦被迫辞职，英国人选择了一位新领导人，他就是温斯顿.丘吉尔."

Winston Churchill
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winston_Churchill
(section 4 First term as prime minister: May 10, 1940-July 26, 1945)

Both Neville Chamberlain and Churchill were Conservative politicians.

(c) 马歇尔.贝当  

The VOA report commits an error.  It was Marshal Philippe Pétain
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippe_P%C3%A9tain
(1856-1951; Petain's actions during World War II resulted in his conviction and death sentence for treason, which was commuted to life imprisonment by his former protégé Charles de Gaulle)
, where marshal is his title 元帥, which he earned in 1918 for his feats in World War I.
Marshal of France
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshal_of_France
(a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank)

(d) The report states, "罗斯福赢得了1940年总统大选，他以2700万对2200万的选票击败威尔基，使罗斯福成为美国历史上第一位也是唯一一位三次连任总统的人。美国宪法后来规定，一个人只能连任两任总统。"

(i) 威尔基  Wendell WILKIE

Wilkie is altered spelling of German surname Wilke, a pet form of Wilhelm (William in English). Wendell was German name, modified from Wendel.
(ii) The 1940 election was a landslide.

United States presidential election, 1940
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1940

............................Roosevelt........Wilkie
Electoral vote....449...................82
States carried....38....................10
Popular vote......27,313,945.....22,347,744
Percentage........54.7%..............44.7%

(iii) Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882-1945; presidency 1933-1945) actually won a fourth term in 1944 (vice president Harry S Truman).


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