My Fellow Countrymen:
As we commemorate today the fifty-second anniversary of the founding of the Republic of China, the whole world is undergoing unprecedented changes that may determine whether mankind is to survive or perish. This is especially true for the Chinese people who, after five thousand years of historical and cultural vicissitudes, have reached a turning point. It is going to be an era of renaissance for the Republic of China.
By their long dedication, the father of our republic, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and our revolutionary martyrs, had started our country on the path of the Three Principles of the People. For the past fifty-one years, we have endeavored to carryon their task not only to meet the tests of the times, but also to accept the responsibilities and duties inherent in our beliefs."
Our people's protracted revolutionary fight against Communism and aggression has enhanced the confidence of the free world in its own future. All those shut behind the Iron Curtain have derived courage in their struggle for righteousness and freedom from the example set by our mainland compatriots who have been pressing on in their determined resistance to the Communist regime.
Day and night our compatriots are engaged in ceaseless acts of direct and indirect resistance against the Communists both at the border and in the hinterland. These involve the use of explosives, the laying of ambushes and sabotage. All such undertakings have unnerved Mao Tse-tung and haunted him in his waking hours. He knows that the situation is totally hopeless for him and his regime.
Meanwhile, our forces have continued to reach the Chinese mainland by air and by sea to harass the enemy both at the front and in the rear. There is no way for the Communists to prevent such assaults as people on the mainland give cover and support to our forces the moment they land in their midst. The cooperation between our military forces and the civilians on the mainland, and between our revolutionary forces and the freedom-fighters on the mainland, is creating a new opportunity in our efforts for national recovery.
My fellow countrymen! Faith is the foundation of our national restoration. Patience assures us of success in our revolution. We should remember that Dr. Sun Yat-sen and our revolutionary martyrs, despite ten abortive attempts, finally succeeded in the Wuchang Uprising in 1911. This was followed by successes of the East River campaign to secure our revolutionary base in South China, the Northward Expedition to achieve national unification, the repeated drives to free the Central China provinces of Communists, and finally the war of resistance against Japanese aggression.
Our war of resistance lasted for fourteen years. Now it has been another fourteen years since the fall of the mainland. Thus it can be truthfully said that our righteous war against aggression and slavery has been going on for thirty-two years. During this lengthy period of time, our people have suffered immensely from massacres, bombings, privations, loss of dear ones, and damage to property. The persecution, starvation, and agonies experienced by the mainland people in recent years are without historical precedent. The over-all cause of this catastrophe was foreign aggression which began with the Mukden Incident. If it had not been for the Mukden Incident, the Chinese mainland would not have fallen and there would be no Communist threat to other Asian nations. Yet the people on the mainland have not ceased in their anti-Communist resistance. On the contrary, they are fighting with renewed courage and increased effectiveness.
My fellow countrymen: It is the reserve of Chinese resilience and toughness which has made possible for our people to survive the tests of the last 32 years. It is the same self-confidence, revolutionary patience, progressive spirit, and epic. courage which has enabled our people to withstand the trials of such tragic experience. If a persevering people such as ours, resolutely opposed to despotism and standing firmly for independence, should fail to survive, to win freedom, and to achieve final victory, righteousness would disappear from the world and civilization itself would be doomed.
History bears ample witness to the fact that a revolutionary war fought for righteousness, justice, freedom, against tyranny and in answer to the unanimous wish of a people for survival and freedom, cannot fail. It has been so in the past and it will be so in the future.
Our counter-offensive and national recovery, therefore, is not a case of wishful thinking, but the consensus of aspirations burning in the hearts of our 600 million compatriots. Neither jibes nor jeers can dampen our spirit or weaken our resolve. They can only stimulate us to more determined action and goad us to move forward faster to earlier victory. One can not prove one's faith until he is tested. One can not prove his perseverance until he is tried. Similarly, light is appreciated only when it is in contrast to darkness.
Today the Chinese Communists are deeply mired in contradictions. Those outside the party oppose Communism while those inside it oppose Mao Tse-tung. Meanwhile, there are quarrels at the top and popular grievances at the bottom. There are also contradictions between those loyal to Khrushchev and others loyal to Mao Tse-tung, between the majority and the minority factions, and between the "Marxist-Leninist rebels", and the "disguised banner-bearers of Trotskyites." The whole situation is simply one of putrid ness. Furthermore, Mao has become so demented as to say that he would not hesitate to sacrifice 300 million of the mainland's people and half of the world's 2.7 billion population "to build a future upon the ruins of death." Can we allow such a lunatic and such a traitorous regime to persevere and do unending harm to the world and put into practice its monstrous ideas? Can the mainland people wait for a "posthumous freedom" built on the bodies of the hundreds of millions who would have died?
On our shoulders lies the heavy responsibility of delivering our compatriots, recovering the mainland, and destroying the Chinese Communist regime, that scourge of mankind. The desire to accept this responsibility is deeply engraved in the hearts of all our compatriots. Now the goal is not far to reach. Though some people abroad maintain that no important change will come to the Chinese Communist regime in the next three to five years, we firmly believe that both subjective and objective conditions for our return to the mainland are ripening so fast that we do not have to wait that long before we can bury Mao's regime.
Admittedly the world situation today is complicated and unpredictable and the revolutionary path is seldom smooth. In other words, it may not be possible for us to attain our goal in one leap. But the return to the mainland is what all of our people, military and civilian, at home and abroad, are awaiting. If we are united in deed and thought, and if we strive unceasingly, we shall reach our objective of national recovery in the near future.
Today I want to call upon all of you further to cultivate the traditional Chinese virtues of righteousness, perseverance, self-sacrifice, and compassion. Only thus can we triumph over adversities, attain justice, preserve freedom and insure survival. Only thus can we be equal to the responsibility of safeguarding peace and security for Asia and the world. In this spirit of humility which would preclude impulsiveness and imprudence we rededicate ourselves to the determined fight against Communism and its evils; to the destruction of the Mao Tse-tung regime; to the recovery of the mainland; and to the liberation of our enslaved compatriots. Such determination dominates our minds. Nothing else matters in our hearts.
My fellow countrymen! Some people in the free world have been mentally poisoned into believing that Mao Tse-tung can be influenced and changed, and that his regime can be persuaded to coexist with the free world. They believe they need not buy his principles but they can make a profit from trading with him.
But they have failed to realize these points:
—If Khrushchev himself can not exercise any corrective influence on the "adventurism" and "monstrous mentality" of Mao Tse-tung, how can others stay Mao's hand and escape the fate of "being baked in a thermonuclear war"?
—If Khrushchev can not coexist with Mao on a father-son party basis, and has had to tear up hundreds of agreements he had signed with Mao, how can others hope to negotiate successfully with Mao on such matters as test ban and disarmament.
—If Khrushchev himself can not settle old accounts with and collect bad debts from the "poorest and least developed" Communist-controlled Chinese mainland, how can others put their foot in the door and establish trade ties with Mao while Moscow is engaged in a bitter struggle with Peiping? This would be more than buying Communism at a high price. It would be falling into the Communist trap, providing excellent opportunities for infiltration and subversion and inviting an obvious but endless disaster. Anyone doing so would be gambling with the future welfare of his nation and people.
This is to say that anyone who gives the Chinese Communists a chance to struggle for survival, to catch a second breath, or to bind up their wounds—in other words, anyone who does the enemy's bidding—will be making a direct investment in Mao Tse-tung's plan to sacrifice half of the world's 2.7 billion inhabitants. This is a fact which no Asian leaders, especially those of countries at the periphery of the Chinese mainland, can safely ignore or take lightly.
My fellow countrymen! We Chinese people have always based our conduct on compassion and benevolence, and have always regarded the safeguarding of human life, freedom, and justice as our own duty. We have never wanted to see a global war, much less a nuclear war. To us recovery of the mainland is a sacred mission and to end Communist aggression in Asia is to remove the danger of a nuclear war. It is our duty to launch a punitive, expedition against the rebels, to deliver our compatriots from tyranny, and to recover the mainland. As this is our internal war against the Communist rebels, we need not, and will not, involve other nations.
From our revolutionary martyrs we have inherited not only their spirit but their traditions. Dr. Sun Yat-sen told us that "the Three Principles of the People provide the basic tenets for the revolutionary movement in China. A revolution based on these principles is the only course for the revolutionary movement in China." Thus a revolution for the realization of the Three Principles of the People is the only way for our people to obliterate the bane of mainland Communism.
My fellow countrymen! Success in the restoration and reunification of the nation can come only if we put our principles into practice. We should all be firm in our faith, and act according to our beliefs. This is the way to discharge our duty toward our nation and toward our principles. Our principles, our country, and our duty constitute the spiritual standards for all six hundred million Chinese people to observe. It is incumbent upon every Chinese to participate in, and support the national revolutionary movement based on the Three Principles of the People! Everyone has the right to participate in the counter-offensive and national recovery. This is especially true with our mainland compatriots, who are duty-bound to take part in anti-Communist activities and to provide cover for the freedom fighters.
My fellow countrymen! The time to begin counter-offensive action may now come at any minute. Every bit of territory on the mainland provides a battlefield for our assault forces landing there either by sea or by air, and also for the freedom-fighters in popular uprisings in the enemy's rear. Our aim is to liberate every single compatriot on the mainland. All Communist soldiers and cadres who have realized their mistakes could become our comrades-at-arms by turning against Mao's regime.
As long as we all maintain the noble revolutionary spirit characteristic of our people, remain united in spirit and singular in purpose, and mobilize our resources for the sake of our national task, we shall be able to destroy the enemy's morale and overpower him with both frontal and flank attacks, thus shortening the duration of our war of liberation.
I have repeatedly called the attention of our people to the "Six Freedoms and Three Assurances," and the "Four Principles and Ten Pledges," which are solemn promises we shall fulfill without fail in the course of our supreme effort for mainland recovery.
My fellow countrymen! Our revolutionary martyrs are silently blessing us. The people on the mainland are waiting for us. The future of the free world, and especially of Asia, will hinge upon our action for national recovery.
Today we dedicate the immense task of our national recovery to the cause of peace for mankind!
Let the Three Principles of the People, as bequeathed to us by Dr. Sun Yat-sen, light the way for the anti-Communist and freedom-:seeking world. Let all those who are enslaved and oppressed by the Communists be freed of their shackles to enjoy the blessings of a new era-liberty, equality, and welfare.
Now let us exclaim the cheers of the day:
Victory in our counter-offensive and mainland recovery!
Long live the Three Principles of the People!
Long live the Republic of China!
Appendix
I. The "Six Freedoms and Three Assurances", as first set forth in President Chiang's Double Tenth Message of 1957, follow:
<b>The Six Freedoms:</b>
1. In order to free the workers from slavery and persecution and to restore to them freedom of employment: disband all Chinese Communist concentration camps, abolish the forced labor system now under the guise of "reform through labor," and guarantee to all workers the fundamental right to choose employment and organize trade unions freely.
2. In order to free the fanners from fear of deprivation and starvation and to restore to them freedom to enjoy prosperity: abolish all tyrannical measures of "agricultural cooperatives," "collective farms," and "food rationing system." Farmers should own the land they till and be entitled to their own harvests.
3. In order to restore to the people freedom of thought and freedom of study and to free them from fear of "ideological reformation": uproot the ideology of "Marx-Lenin-Stalin-Maoism" and the system of brainwashing under the label of "socialist education," remove the spiritual and mental oppression imposed upon the intellectuals and students by the Communists, re-establish respect for rationality and reason, and encourage free academic pursuit.
4. In order to restore to the people freedom of economic enterprise and to free them from fear of confiscation and requisition: abolish the "public-private-joint-ownership" system and the measures of "monopolized buying and selling" of daily necessities, which have strangled the livelihood of the people, and protect private ownership and lawful profit making.
5. In order to restore to the people their security of life and to consolidate the foundation of society: ban all forms of "class struggle" and other like activities that tend to create hatred among the people, such as liquidation, mass trials, etc. Those whose family members and dependents were "liquidated" may redress their grievances under the law. They may not seek their own revenge by killing, which will only lead to endless bloodshed.
6. In order to restore to the people the free way of life and to ensure the continuity of Chinese cultural heritage: guarantee the freedom of speech, freedom of residence, freedom of assembly, freedom of publication and freedom of worship; preserve our history and our culture, re-establish ethical and moral standards, protect the family system, and restore the sanctity of marriage.
The Three Assurances:
1. Those officers and enlisted men who will defect from the Chinese Communist forces shall be accorded the same treatment as that for members of our armed forces and shall be placed on the same basis of remuneration and reward in accordance with their position and merits;
2. All political and civic organizations which will have joined the Government in anti-Communist activities, the Chinese Communist Party excepted, shall enjoy equal and lawful status regardless of their previous political stand, they shall have the opportunity under the Constitution and the principle of fair competition to contribute their effort towards the reconstruction of a new China of the people, by the people and for the people;
3. Those who have joined the Chinese Communist organizations and served under the Peiping regime, except the few hardcore leaders, shall be pardoned and their life and property protected on condition that they pledge to work for the anti-Communist cause; the Government shall purse a general policy of leniency towards all perfunctory followers of Communism and towards their past records of collaboration with the Communist Party.
II. The "Four Principles and Ten Pledges" as stated in President Chiang's Message to the Chinese Communist Armed Forces, 10, 1962, follow:
The Four Principles:
1. Those who leave the Communists to come to the Government will be given high reward. Whether your flight to freedom is by air, sea, land or through the frontlines and whether you come with a plane, a ship, a weapon or a Communist document, you will be highly rewarded. You will be free to choose your occupation or school. You will, if you enlist, be given the same treatment received by the servicemen here on Taiwan. The treatment and rewards given to Liu Cheng-sze, Shao Hsi-yen and Kao Yu-tsung upon their corning over with planes provide your best assurance.
2. Those who fight against the Communists will be given important positions. Whoever leads the Communist armed forces in revolt will be given the same work and rank which he has held, and later promoted to a higher position according to his achievements. Those who can organize anti-Communist forces in any area of the mainland and establish guerrilla bases to fight against the Communist tyranny will be given military and political posts in their areas. The Government will quickly find ways and means to send food and weapons to support them.
3. Those who have participated in anti-Communist activities will be given full protection. Whether they join in the anti-Communist front directly, or support the people by indirectly resisting the Communist tyranny, or provide cover for the activities of our anti-Communist personnel, they will He regarded as our comrades. Their lives and properties and those of their family members will be ·protected. In addition, they will be given responsible work and treatment comparable to those given anti-Communist personnel working in the enemy's rear.
4. The best of those who have been compelled to follow the Communists will not be held against them, With the exception of Mao Tse-tung, who is the source of evil, the past of all cadres in the Communist Party or Communist Youth Corps or party commissars in the army will not be questioned, provided they change their stand and turn against Communism. If they can give active assistance to anti-Communist work, or inspire and assist revolts by armed troops to redeem their past, they will be given position commensurate with their accomplishments.
The Ten Pledges
A. Those concerning the mainland people in general—
1. The tyrannical "people's commune," devised by the Communists for the sole purpose of enslavement and oppression of the people, shall be abolished and the free life of the people restored.
2. Everyone shall be allowed to retain the land he tills.
3. Everyone shall have food, clothing, and daily necessities free of control.
4. Everyone shall be free to choose the kind of occupation he prefers and enjoy the fruits of his honest labor without interference from the government.
5. According to the provisions of the Constitution, the people shall have full freedom of religion, academic study, assembly, association, residence and movement. Regardless of their political stand in the past, all political groups or civilian organizations that now take part in the anti-Communist task shall be able to enjoy equality and legitimate rights and interests within the constitutional framework.
6. Class discrimination and revenge for personal feud shall be strictly prohibited. High moral standards and law and order shall be restored.
B. Those concerning officers and men of the Communist armed forces, members of the Communist Party and Youth Corps, and their cadres—
7. Any member of the Communist army, navy or air force who participates in an uprising against the Communist regime, or responds to the national forces counteroffensive by coming over with his military equipment and appurtenances, shall be generously rewarded according to his merits, and shall receive the same treatment as the government troops.
8. Anyone who can lead a platoon, company, battalion, regiment, division or army to fight against the Communists shall be assigned as the commanding officer of his unit. He shall receive due promotion and shall be named the administrative chief of the area he has recovered for the Government.
9. Any member of the Communist public security, border guard, and militia forces, who participates in anti-Communist activities or sabotages the Communist administrative machinery, shall be accorded the same treatment as provided in the foregoing articles. Anyone on the mainland who provides cover for anti-Communist personnel and assists in the people's anti-Communist activities shall be given protection for his life and property, a responsible position, and a generous reward in accordance with his contributions.
10. All cadres of the Communist Party and Youth Corps who have participated under cover or who now participate in the great task of anti-Communist revolution shall be considered citizens of the Republic of China and participants in the national revolution. Their past shall not be questioned or held against them and their life, property and family members shall be protected.