WEBVTT 00:01.346 --> 00:04.124 - This will be my shortest introduction ever, 00:04.124 --> 00:05.957 which is a good thing. 00:06.103 --> 00:08.978 Welcome to all of you as we gather here 00:08.978 --> 00:11.336 to commemorate the 70th anniversary 00:11.336 --> 00:14.586 of George Marshall's speech at Harvard, 00:15.070 --> 00:17.904 where he unveiled what became known as the Marshall Plan, 00:17.904 --> 00:20.592 and I'm delighted that you can all be here with us. 00:20.592 --> 00:23.405 Before I get started, and I'll only talk about one minute, 00:23.405 --> 00:25.688 I do want to thank you five members 00:25.688 --> 00:28.333 of the Harris MusiCorps from Ohm, 00:28.333 --> 00:29.735 you honor us by your presence, 00:29.735 --> 00:31.535 thank you very much, well done. 00:31.535 --> 00:33.785 (applause) 00:41.726 --> 00:42.828 Special welcome today, 00:42.828 --> 00:44.516 not only to our distinguished guests, 00:44.516 --> 00:48.274 but to Mayor Sigrid Meierhofer, there you are, 00:48.274 --> 00:51.257 who has been a tremendous supporter of the Marshall Center, 00:51.257 --> 00:52.729 since she has become the Lord Mayor 00:52.729 --> 00:54.731 of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. 00:54.731 --> 00:56.384 We also have a very special group 00:56.384 --> 00:58.432 called The Friends of the Marshall Center. 00:58.432 --> 01:01.188 These are people, German citizens who live here, 01:01.188 --> 01:03.833 who sponsor our international students, 01:03.833 --> 01:06.802 in a variety of ways, and they take very good care of them, 01:06.802 --> 01:09.052 and they make their experience here in Germany 01:09.052 --> 01:10.521 something truly special. 01:10.521 --> 01:13.108 So again thank you all you friends that are here. 01:13.108 --> 01:14.819 It's great to have you. 01:14.819 --> 01:16.596 I also have a few special guests 01:16.596 --> 01:18.981 from the Partnership for Peace Consortium, 01:18.981 --> 01:20.603 I'm not gonna name each one of you, 01:20.603 --> 01:22.007 but to all of you senior leaders, 01:22.007 --> 01:25.011 it's very good to have you present with us as well. 01:25.011 --> 01:28.116 And finally, we have a class in session now, 01:28.116 --> 01:30.694 a community of interest event on cybersecurity. 01:30.694 --> 01:33.483 We have about 40 members from 30-some countries, 01:33.483 --> 01:36.453 and all of you over here, thank you again for joining us. 01:36.453 --> 01:38.780 You just happened to hit the right time to be here, 01:38.780 --> 01:40.714 so you would get this sort of presentation 01:40.714 --> 01:43.325 from both the Defense Ministers of the United States, 01:43.325 --> 01:44.742 and from Germany. 01:45.998 --> 01:48.647 Again, the namesake of George Marshall, 01:48.647 --> 01:50.120 that's our Marshall Center, 01:50.120 --> 01:54.114 a very strong and growing German-American partnership, 01:54.114 --> 01:56.972 and I would be remiss if I didn't mention 01:56.972 --> 01:58.423 one other person in the audience, 01:58.423 --> 02:02.006 and that is our good friend, Dr. von Geyer, 02:03.205 --> 02:04.814 from the German Ministry of Defense, 02:04.814 --> 02:08.200 who I personally feel, had a lot to do with 02:08.200 --> 02:10.216 making our new memorandum of agreement, 02:10.216 --> 02:13.074 and making our friendship and relationship even stronger. 02:13.074 --> 02:15.605 So Andreas, thank you again very much. 02:15.605 --> 02:17.181 I'm not gonna talk anymore, 02:17.181 --> 02:18.969 I'm going to introduce our first speaker, 02:18.969 --> 02:21.590 who is the Minister of Defense of Germany, 02:21.590 --> 02:23.673 Dr. Ursula Von der Leyen. 02:24.036 --> 02:27.949 She's been the Minister of Defense since December 2013. 02:27.949 --> 02:30.132 All of you know a lot about her, 02:30.132 --> 02:32.990 she is the first woman in this post for Germany, 02:32.990 --> 02:35.363 and I think Germany could not have chosen better, 02:35.363 --> 02:37.840 and it's a great delight that you have decided 02:37.840 --> 02:41.090 to be here with us today, and with no further ado, 02:41.090 --> 02:43.207 I'm going to invite you to come up to the stage, 02:43.207 --> 02:45.837 and speak to us, Dr. Von der Leyen. 02:45.837 --> 02:48.087 (applause) 02:59.711 --> 03:03.162 - (speaking foreign language) 03:03.162 --> 03:06.549 - [Translator] General Dayton, thank you very much. 03:06.549 --> 03:09.654 Brigadier General Berber, thank you very much. 03:09.654 --> 03:13.367 Thank you that I have the opportunity to be here today. 03:13.367 --> 03:17.534 Jim, how wonderful is it to be here, together with you, 03:17.632 --> 03:20.510 and to inaugurate the strategic partnership, 03:20.510 --> 03:23.177 the strategic dialogue with you. 03:23.244 --> 03:27.411 Also (speaking foreign language) and Madam Mayor Meierhofer, 03:29.129 --> 03:32.132 guests from Bulgaria, from Austria, from Romania, 03:32.132 --> 03:35.170 from Sweden, and the friends of the Marshall Center 03:35.170 --> 03:38.253 to all of you a whole hearty welcome. 03:38.354 --> 03:41.640 Also my greetings go to the staff members 03:41.640 --> 03:44.530 of the George C. Marshall Center, and to all the members 03:44.530 --> 03:45.723 of the Bundeswehr. 03:45.723 --> 03:47.473 Ladies and gentlemen. 03:48.681 --> 03:52.596 There are days that are not only matter of fact events 03:52.596 --> 03:56.763 in history, but they are turning points in history. 03:57.841 --> 04:01.758 Such a date was, and there's no doubt about it, 04:02.373 --> 04:04.290 the 8th of May of 1945. 04:05.332 --> 04:08.481 That is when the Wehrmacht surrendered, 04:08.481 --> 04:12.648 that is when Second World War ended here in Europe. 04:12.835 --> 04:14.752 But it is also the date 04:15.321 --> 04:18.238 when freedom overcame dictatorship. 04:18.843 --> 04:22.420 When Europe was liberated from the criminal regime 04:22.420 --> 04:24.253 of national socialism. 04:24.999 --> 04:27.461 Europe was a continent in ashes. 04:27.461 --> 04:30.050 Millions of people were displaced. 04:30.050 --> 04:33.300 There was hunger, desperation, despair. 04:34.357 --> 04:36.558 But only a few years later, 04:36.558 --> 04:40.308 Western Europe experienced a unique recovery. 04:41.844 --> 04:44.511 People again had bread and work. 04:44.690 --> 04:47.857 The citizens and streets were rebuilt. 04:48.121 --> 04:51.871 Small shops and also larger-scale enterprises 04:52.159 --> 04:53.826 started to flourish. 04:54.064 --> 04:56.199 But what was most important was 04:56.199 --> 04:59.282 that the people regained their belief 04:59.900 --> 05:03.759 in a future of democracy and social market economy, 05:03.759 --> 05:06.592 and thus a belief in their future. 05:07.742 --> 05:10.959 And this unique development is also marked 05:10.959 --> 05:15.126 by a special date, which is the 5th of June of 1947. 05:17.506 --> 05:21.423 On this day, the former U.S. Secretary of State 05:21.816 --> 05:25.483 George C. Marshall gave his memorable speech 05:26.563 --> 05:28.396 at Harvard University. 05:29.026 --> 05:31.693 He announced his very bold plan. 05:32.990 --> 05:36.643 He said that the European States should be supported 05:36.643 --> 05:39.185 in their recovery efforts in order to regain 05:39.185 --> 05:40.852 peace and stability. 05:41.326 --> 05:44.845 And although at that point the world still knew nothing else 05:44.845 --> 05:49.012 but the memories of the cruel war launched by Germany, 05:49.029 --> 05:52.779 and the destruction of the cultural heritage, 05:53.597 --> 05:55.680 the Chowa, the Holocaust. 05:56.129 --> 05:59.462 Still George C. Marshall believed in a global responsibility 05:59.462 --> 06:01.821 of his country, and he was convinced 06:01.821 --> 06:05.988 that long-term it would be in everybody's benefit, 06:06.873 --> 06:09.707 and it would be in the interest of the United States 06:09.707 --> 06:12.124 to reach out to the defeated, 06:12.567 --> 06:15.040 to bring them back into the nation, 06:15.040 --> 06:16.443 into the community of nations, 06:16.443 --> 06:18.443 and to give people hope. 06:19.379 --> 06:23.546 The 5th of June, 1947 is therefore a historic date 06:24.734 --> 06:27.325 for my country, but also for Europe 06:27.325 --> 06:31.492 and for our trans-Atlantic friendship and partnership. 06:31.495 --> 06:35.245 Today when we celebrate the 70th anniversary, 06:35.714 --> 06:38.112 we are celebrating George C. Marshall 06:38.112 --> 06:40.349 as a great American visionary 06:40.349 --> 06:44.288 who received the Nobel Peace Prize for a very good reason, 06:44.288 --> 06:47.324 and we are also celebrating the United States of America. 06:47.324 --> 06:51.491 Because back then by implementing generous, courageous 06:52.174 --> 06:53.985 and sustainable measures, 06:53.985 --> 06:56.349 the United States back then demonstrated 06:56.349 --> 06:58.349 greatness and foresight, 06:58.349 --> 07:01.005 and Germans and Europeans will forever be grateful 07:01.005 --> 07:03.338 to the United States for it. 07:03.964 --> 07:08.131 Today we are looking back to decades of peace and stability 07:09.985 --> 07:12.068 and prosperity in Europe. 07:13.942 --> 07:17.692 The foundation was laid by the Marshall Plan. 07:17.837 --> 07:21.170 Marshall delegated to us, the Europeans, 07:21.418 --> 07:24.835 the responsibility for these investments. 07:25.818 --> 07:29.985 The United States limited itself to a supporting role, 07:31.386 --> 07:35.219 and by doing so, by trusting us the Europeans, 07:35.954 --> 07:39.823 who just a few years ago had been mortal enemies. 07:39.823 --> 07:42.740 By trusting us with responsibility, 07:43.223 --> 07:46.390 this idea of a close European linkage, 07:49.735 --> 07:52.902 a close European bond became tangible. 07:53.965 --> 07:57.216 The European idea has many mothers and fathers 07:57.216 --> 07:59.383 from many European states. 07:59.579 --> 08:03.746 For example in March we celebrated the 60th anniversary 08:04.644 --> 08:06.419 of the Treaty of Rome. 08:06.419 --> 08:08.586 But one thing is for sure, 08:09.074 --> 08:11.459 without the vision of the Marshall Plan, 08:11.459 --> 08:14.263 and without the willingness and the will 08:14.263 --> 08:18.430 of the United States, after the war not to withdraw 08:19.467 --> 08:23.384 but to be there for Europe to engage in Europe. 08:24.102 --> 08:27.197 Without this vision European integration 08:27.197 --> 08:30.178 would not have been successful in the way it was. 08:30.178 --> 08:33.116 The Marshall Plan is a centerpiece of our common 08:33.116 --> 08:36.567 German-American and European-American history. 08:36.567 --> 08:39.984 And it is the foundation for our enduring 08:40.876 --> 08:44.126 decade long friendship and partnership. 08:45.219 --> 08:49.386 George C. Marshall, also looking back at his time, 08:49.448 --> 08:52.464 he tells us a lot for how to orient ourselves 08:52.464 --> 08:53.881 in today's world. 08:56.480 --> 09:00.647 To simply, to cooperate, to invest into partnerships 09:01.115 --> 09:04.365 that really pays off be it within NATO, 09:04.401 --> 09:06.818 but also on a bilateral basis 09:07.440 --> 09:09.778 in the German-American friendship. 09:09.778 --> 09:11.592 And the trans-Atlantic partnership 09:11.592 --> 09:13.592 is a bedrock commitment. 09:13.760 --> 09:17.755 Together we strengthen our liberal Western world order. 09:17.755 --> 09:21.922 Together we stand for democracy, freedom and human rights. 09:22.043 --> 09:23.710 We trust each other. 09:24.279 --> 09:25.862 We know each other. 09:26.349 --> 09:28.182 We support each other. 09:29.534 --> 09:32.402 And Germany therefore has a vital interest 09:32.402 --> 09:34.765 in a strong and reliable partnership 09:34.765 --> 09:36.092 with the United States. 09:36.092 --> 09:39.009 And the world needs a United States 09:43.373 --> 09:46.540 that will continue with its strengths. 09:47.051 --> 09:49.908 But on the other hand, we also want to strengthen 09:49.908 --> 09:52.912 our forces and to be reliable partners 09:52.912 --> 09:54.419 for the United States. 09:54.419 --> 09:57.685 We stand side by side in our shared beliefs. 09:57.685 --> 10:00.641 For example, in protecting our partners in the East 10:00.641 --> 10:03.770 by the enhanced forward presence in the Baltic States 10:03.770 --> 10:04.937 and in Poland. 10:05.040 --> 10:09.207 Or when it comes to jointly fighting against ISIS, 10:09.428 --> 10:12.345 or when cooperating in Afghanistan. 10:13.489 --> 10:15.829 Our cooperation in the past 15 years. 10:15.829 --> 10:18.829 All these topics have been discussed 10:20.241 --> 10:22.408 in our strategic dialogue. 10:23.211 --> 10:26.961 But Germany will always stand by its partners 10:28.127 --> 10:29.995 and will be a reliable partner, 10:29.995 --> 10:32.369 and will fulfill its commitments. 10:32.369 --> 10:36.183 We Germans are very happy for the American engagement 10:36.183 --> 10:38.016 and commitment here in Europe, 10:38.016 --> 10:41.155 and we, the German people, appreciate it 10:41.155 --> 10:45.273 that the United troops are still stationed here in Germany. 10:45.273 --> 10:49.440 It is this experience that has brought us together, 10:49.495 --> 10:53.662 and in Bavaria, I can see how close the relationships are 10:55.239 --> 10:58.052 between the Bavarian people, the German people, 10:58.052 --> 10:59.660 and the American troops. 10:59.660 --> 11:02.520 And there are many friendships that witness 11:02.520 --> 11:04.520 this close relationship. 11:07.106 --> 11:10.247 But we also understand that being partners, 11:10.247 --> 11:14.414 we need to have a fair burden sharing within NATO. 11:14.679 --> 11:16.760 That means we Germans need to do more 11:16.760 --> 11:20.034 for our security, and therefore we acknowledge 11:20.034 --> 11:23.365 the commitments based on Warsaw and Wales. 11:23.365 --> 11:25.581 And when it comes to defense expenditures 11:25.581 --> 11:29.748 then we are working towards two percent of the GDP. 11:29.813 --> 11:31.519 This is in our own interest. 11:31.519 --> 11:34.568 It's in our own interest to equip the Bundeswehr, 11:34.568 --> 11:36.919 to make sure that our service members 11:36.919 --> 11:40.159 are equipped accordingly in order to make sure 11:40.159 --> 11:41.947 that they can fulfill their missions. 11:41.947 --> 11:46.114 Because after all we expect that they fulfill their missions 11:46.617 --> 11:48.248 and do the job well. 11:48.248 --> 11:51.027 It is also in our European interest 11:51.027 --> 11:54.277 to work towards European Defense Union, 11:54.379 --> 11:56.472 to strengthen the European pillar. 11:56.472 --> 11:58.712 We want to stay trans-Atlantic. 11:58.712 --> 12:01.346 We want to be reliable partners, 12:01.346 --> 12:04.096 and we want to grow as Europeans. 12:04.606 --> 12:08.773 The European Defense Union is something that we work towards 12:09.005 --> 12:11.806 and it will be able to take on more of the burden 12:11.806 --> 12:14.461 of our common trans-Atlantic security. 12:14.461 --> 12:16.385 Not in competition to NATO, 12:16.385 --> 12:19.718 but as an addition, as a strong partner. 12:20.030 --> 12:24.057 Europe has a vital interest in a stable neighborhood. 12:24.057 --> 12:27.264 But if we want that, if we want to have stability 12:27.264 --> 12:28.580 in the neighboring regions, 12:28.580 --> 12:31.281 then we have to commit ourselves to it. 12:31.281 --> 12:33.722 And this is completely in the spirit 12:33.722 --> 12:35.476 of George C. Marshall, 12:35.476 --> 12:38.266 which means we have to take on responsibility 12:38.266 --> 12:40.849 and we have to act accordingly. 12:41.023 --> 12:44.023 As Europeans we know from experience 12:44.342 --> 12:48.509 what you need and what is necessary for enduring peace. 12:49.824 --> 12:51.157 What you need is 12:53.154 --> 12:55.654 to be able to fight terrorism. 12:55.769 --> 12:57.456 You need a strong police. 12:57.456 --> 12:58.986 You need a strong military 12:58.986 --> 13:03.153 in order to put a stop to adversaries of democracy. 13:04.049 --> 13:07.132 You need reconciliation to facilitate 13:07.593 --> 13:10.810 the spirit of humanity, and you need investments 13:10.810 --> 13:14.977 so people have work and can support their families. 13:16.201 --> 13:19.201 You also need political visionaries. 13:19.889 --> 13:21.340 You need a strategy. 13:21.340 --> 13:23.423 You need clear cut goals, 13:23.469 --> 13:25.802 and you need the rule of law 13:25.987 --> 13:28.737 as a guardianship for everything. 13:29.632 --> 13:32.129 Europe does have the instruments for it, 13:32.129 --> 13:33.749 but it needs to do much more 13:33.749 --> 13:37.916 in order to pool its resources and to become active. 13:38.206 --> 13:40.219 And I think it's time to act, 13:40.219 --> 13:42.719 and this is what we are doing. 13:42.986 --> 13:46.986 The European Council said very clearly last week 13:47.036 --> 13:48.532 what is being necessary, 13:48.532 --> 13:50.660 and I hope that until the end of the year 13:50.660 --> 13:53.313 we will have very concrete results. 13:53.313 --> 13:55.813 More common planning with NATO 13:56.182 --> 13:59.182 in order to expand our capabilities. 13:59.895 --> 14:03.295 More common investments and joint investments 14:03.295 --> 14:05.128 in order to help grow, 14:05.588 --> 14:08.588 and help support the European pillar 14:09.120 --> 14:12.754 to bring civilian and military elements together 14:12.754 --> 14:16.489 in an appropriate way and much more has to be done. 14:16.489 --> 14:20.303 As Europeans, we have to take on responsibility. 14:20.303 --> 14:22.902 It is important that defense and stability 14:22.902 --> 14:26.402 is being based on the trans-Atlantic bond. 14:26.728 --> 14:30.496 After all this bond has supported and has brought 14:30.496 --> 14:33.663 peace and stability and common values. 14:34.456 --> 14:38.259 But as Europeans we do want to take on more responsibility, 14:38.259 --> 14:42.426 but without ever forgetting where we have come from. 14:43.107 --> 14:47.274 That is why, dear Jim, I'm happy to have you as a colleague. 14:47.790 --> 14:51.075 You and I can talk openly and clearly with each other. 14:51.075 --> 14:54.526 There's a broad spectrum of topics, of common topics, 14:54.526 --> 14:56.281 that we are discussing. 14:56.281 --> 14:58.448 And that is why we decided 14:59.330 --> 15:03.497 to solidify our cooperation beyond current issues, 15:05.788 --> 15:09.671 and that is why today we inaugurated, today we started 15:09.671 --> 15:12.706 the German-American strategic dialogue, 15:12.706 --> 15:16.289 and I think this is in a special atmosphere 15:16.925 --> 15:18.927 to inaugurate this dialogue, 15:18.927 --> 15:22.677 and I think it's the right place to start it. 15:23.630 --> 15:26.645 And that is why now I would like to say a few words 15:26.645 --> 15:28.478 to you General Dayton. 15:29.188 --> 15:33.355 The George C. Marshall Center is exactly the right place 15:35.186 --> 15:39.353 for launching and supporting our strategic dialogue, 15:40.078 --> 15:43.824 and deepening our trans-Atlantic partnership. 15:43.824 --> 15:47.824 This center embodies a deep trans-Atlantic bond, 15:48.583 --> 15:52.166 and it does so in an especially lively way. 15:52.521 --> 15:54.916 And it is in the spirit of its name giver 15:54.916 --> 15:57.437 that also international partners outside 15:57.437 --> 16:00.598 the North Atlantic Treaty are being engaged, 16:00.598 --> 16:04.266 are being included into the security political discussions. 16:04.266 --> 16:06.933 We have just welcomed our guests 16:08.611 --> 16:12.131 and the geographic range is from Morocco to Mongolia. 16:12.131 --> 16:16.298 People from 143 nations have come to the Marshall Center 16:17.384 --> 16:20.241 and more than 12,000 civilians and military 16:20.241 --> 16:22.574 have participated in courses 16:22.592 --> 16:25.115 of the George C. Marshall Center. 16:25.115 --> 16:29.282 So it is a smart, long-term and sustainable investment 16:29.962 --> 16:32.629 in security and peace worldwide. 16:34.607 --> 16:38.774 Therefore this very unique common joint institution 16:40.155 --> 16:42.322 is so near and dear to us. 16:44.170 --> 16:47.154 And I'm very happy that the Germans have now 16:47.154 --> 16:50.448 increased their financial support and also 16:50.448 --> 16:54.615 there is more German staff here at the Marshall Center, 16:55.432 --> 16:58.413 and this is to show, to emphasis the relevance 16:58.413 --> 17:02.419 of the very valuable work here at the Marshall Center. 17:02.419 --> 17:04.938 Sir, General Dayton, cherishing the 17:04.938 --> 17:09.105 trans-Atlantic partnership and supporting its values 17:09.539 --> 17:13.706 and fundamentals also outside the borders of our alliance, 17:13.916 --> 17:18.083 this is what you and your staff are working toward everyday. 17:20.297 --> 17:23.681 And you are doing this with great dedication 17:23.681 --> 17:25.764 and with lasting success. 17:26.933 --> 17:29.082 The Marshall Center, your center, 17:29.082 --> 17:32.582 is a beacon of German-American friendship. 17:33.187 --> 17:35.134 And this friendship is being lived here 17:35.134 --> 17:37.051 and we can all feel it. 17:38.318 --> 17:42.485 Dear General Dayton, for your incredible dedication 17:43.088 --> 17:46.238 and commitment to support the German-American partnership 17:46.238 --> 17:49.905 and for our trans-Atlantic values worldwide, 17:50.165 --> 17:53.483 I would like to thank you with all my heart, 17:53.483 --> 17:57.650 and as a visible sign of our gratitude and appreciation 17:59.333 --> 18:01.833 I would like to present to you 18:03.215 --> 18:06.965 the Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr in gold. 18:08.144 --> 18:10.437 Now that might be a surprise to you 18:10.437 --> 18:13.020 but it comes from all my heart, 18:13.520 --> 18:16.097 and that is why General Dayton I would like you 18:16.097 --> 18:18.764 to please join me here on stage. 18:18.764 --> 18:21.014 (applause) 18:42.907 --> 18:44.753 - (speaking foreign language) 18:44.753 --> 18:47.753 - [Translator] On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, 18:47.753 --> 18:51.920 I would like to present Lieutenant General Keith Dayton 18:55.450 --> 18:58.450 for his honorable and merits service 19:00.355 --> 19:02.751 to the Federal Republic of Germany 19:02.751 --> 19:06.501 the Cross of Honor of the Bundeswehr in gold. 19:09.704 --> 19:12.787 (background talking) 19:19.671 --> 19:21.921 (applause) 19:49.452 --> 19:51.309 - Jim, I don't know how you follow that. 19:51.309 --> 19:53.546 (laughter) 19:53.546 --> 19:57.281 But it is my deep, personal honor to first of all 19:57.281 --> 20:00.522 Minister thank you very much, I had no idea, 20:00.522 --> 20:04.689 and this is an honor that is far beyond my worthiness. 20:05.021 --> 20:07.271 But that's for another day. 20:08.217 --> 20:10.771 It's my great honor to introduce 20:10.771 --> 20:12.358 the 26th Secretary of Defense 20:12.358 --> 20:16.025 of the United States of America, Jim Mattis. 20:16.755 --> 20:20.922 He is a personal friend, but he is a great leader. 20:21.279 --> 20:24.563 And he is exactly what I believe my country needs 20:24.563 --> 20:25.646 at this time. 20:26.015 --> 20:28.512 I think my president choose extremely well 20:28.512 --> 20:30.720 when he picked Secretary Mattis, 20:30.720 --> 20:32.385 and Jim the floor is yours. 20:32.385 --> 20:34.554 Please come up here and talk with these people. 20:34.554 --> 20:36.804 (applause) 20:47.976 --> 20:50.476 - Thank you Keith, old friend, 20:50.562 --> 20:53.859 Minister Von der Leyen and there is probably no one 20:53.859 --> 20:56.459 that I would rather be here today with 20:56.459 --> 20:59.209 then my esteemed fellow minister. 21:00.564 --> 21:02.615 The first minister to call on me 21:02.615 --> 21:06.268 after I had the surprise of being assigned to this job, 21:06.268 --> 21:07.268 I might add. 21:07.472 --> 21:11.308 Thank you again for making the trip to Washington. 21:11.308 --> 21:15.475 But I would also say that there's a connection between us. 21:16.360 --> 21:20.503 We did not sit down and write our speeches together, 21:20.503 --> 21:23.734 yet as I was listening to her and nodding to myself, 21:23.734 --> 21:25.703 I thought, my gosh I'm going to bore everybody 21:25.703 --> 21:28.460 with the same themes that you just heard. 21:28.460 --> 21:31.734 But Madam Mayor thank you for all of the hospitality 21:31.734 --> 21:34.434 that all of us receive when we come 21:34.434 --> 21:37.077 to this beautiful corner of the world. 21:37.077 --> 21:40.397 It is absolutely a stunning place to visit, 21:40.397 --> 21:42.703 and ladies and gentlemen it is wonderful 21:42.703 --> 21:45.453 to be back in Germany once again. 21:46.347 --> 21:50.514 To pay my respects to an ally that is 100% committed 21:50.694 --> 21:53.495 to freedom and the dignity of human beings, 21:53.495 --> 21:57.524 and to show America's solidarity with the German people 21:57.524 --> 21:59.763 in standing up for Western values 21:59.763 --> 22:02.237 for which we are unapologetic. 22:02.237 --> 22:04.836 I cannot come to Germany however without expressing 22:04.836 --> 22:07.998 my deep respect for this country's troops. 22:07.998 --> 22:10.719 For their professionalism, for their courage, 22:10.719 --> 22:13.386 and for their sacrifices on shared battlefields 22:13.386 --> 22:15.969 in Afghanistan and against ISIS 22:16.424 --> 22:18.726 or any other agents of terror, 22:18.726 --> 22:20.323 and all around the world. 22:20.323 --> 22:23.483 Because for the German military and for you here today 22:23.483 --> 22:26.285 from the German military, I would just say 22:26.285 --> 22:30.452 that your ethical performance is a model for all others, 22:31.032 --> 22:33.451 and we in the United States Department of Defense 22:33.451 --> 22:35.251 are grateful for our strong alliance 22:35.251 --> 22:37.334 with the German military. 22:37.951 --> 22:40.246 Minister Von der Leyen and I just completed 22:40.246 --> 22:43.553 the inaugural strategic dialogue as you heard. 22:43.553 --> 22:45.997 And between Germany and the United States we charted 22:45.997 --> 22:48.841 our shared security priorities for the coming year 22:48.841 --> 22:51.507 in this perfect locale for that, 22:51.507 --> 22:55.674 in the finest spirit of what George Marshall stood for. 22:55.862 --> 22:58.550 We talked about Afghanistan, the enhanced forward 22:58.550 --> 23:00.440 presence in Eastern Europe, 23:00.440 --> 23:02.950 and our national security strategies. 23:02.950 --> 23:04.839 And I would just cite that regardless 23:04.839 --> 23:07.839 of any news reports to the contrary, 23:08.191 --> 23:11.230 the trans-Atlantic bond between our two countries 23:11.230 --> 23:12.480 remains strong. 23:13.198 --> 23:15.404 Germany and the United States stand together, 23:15.404 --> 23:18.440 allied against threats to the peace and security 23:18.440 --> 23:21.389 of this continent, Canada and the United States, 23:21.389 --> 23:24.389 and disruption to harmony elsewhere. 23:24.898 --> 23:28.022 The U.S. commitment to our NATO Article 5 23:28.022 --> 23:30.605 security guarantee is ironclad. 23:32.028 --> 23:34.154 As demonstrated over decades, 23:34.154 --> 23:37.158 our steadfastness and given voice more recently 23:37.158 --> 23:40.172 by President Trump before the American people 23:40.172 --> 23:42.795 in the Rose Garden with the NATO ally 23:42.795 --> 23:46.878 Romanian President Iohannis standing at his side, 23:47.114 --> 23:49.240 and certainly it was given voice 23:49.240 --> 23:52.031 by the United States Senate who just a short 23:52.031 --> 23:56.198 couple of days ago, in a unanimous resolution, 100 to zero. 23:58.297 --> 24:00.727 All of this trans-Atlantic bond is represented 24:00.727 --> 24:02.727 in this room here today. 24:03.460 --> 24:06.940 And 70 years ago, as Minister Von der Leyen noted 24:06.940 --> 24:10.076 on a picturesque campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts 24:10.076 --> 24:13.010 an American diplomat gave the commencement address 24:13.010 --> 24:14.843 at Harvard University. 24:15.201 --> 24:17.103 I need not remind this audience again 24:17.103 --> 24:19.285 of what George Marshall said that day, 24:19.285 --> 24:21.997 for we can see today across Europe 24:21.997 --> 24:25.914 the realization of what became a shared vision. 24:26.272 --> 24:30.085 A peaceful, industrious and prosperous continent 24:30.085 --> 24:33.472 free from tyranny, possessing the military strength 24:33.472 --> 24:36.051 to defend itself from aggression. 24:36.051 --> 24:38.388 And sometimes it is necessary to pause 24:38.388 --> 24:40.706 and recall first principles. 24:40.706 --> 24:43.701 We can kind of take things for granted after awhile 24:43.701 --> 24:44.784 if we do not. 24:45.059 --> 24:47.489 We need to remind ourselves of why we initially 24:47.489 --> 24:51.417 embarked on a path of why free people of Europe, 24:51.417 --> 24:55.584 Canada and the United States made a conscious decision 24:55.590 --> 24:58.684 to codify our trans-Atlantic partnership 24:58.684 --> 25:01.791 and dared to bind our nations by treaty 25:01.791 --> 25:03.624 to collective defense. 25:04.290 --> 25:07.571 All free nations, democracies, any one of them 25:07.571 --> 25:11.149 could have opted out with the wish of avoiding danger, 25:11.149 --> 25:13.232 yet they united together. 25:13.512 --> 25:15.818 In the North Atlantic Treaty Article 5, 25:15.818 --> 25:18.127 the parties stated that they agree 25:18.127 --> 25:20.768 that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe 25:20.768 --> 25:24.935 or North America shall be considered an attack against all. 25:26.430 --> 25:29.397 And in North Atlantic Treaty Article 3 we bound ourselves 25:29.397 --> 25:31.980 to share the burden of defense. 25:32.119 --> 25:34.988 Saying that parties separately and jointly 25:34.988 --> 25:38.251 by means of continuous and effective self-help 25:38.251 --> 25:41.412 and mutual aid will maintain individual 25:41.412 --> 25:45.329 and collective capacity to resist armed attack. 25:46.576 --> 25:48.153 So ladies and gentlemen how did a man 25:48.153 --> 25:50.719 named George Marshall come to give a speech 25:50.719 --> 25:53.708 that so eloquently articulated the principles 25:53.708 --> 25:57.125 underpinning today's international order? 25:59.908 --> 26:02.316 Why does the international center here today 26:02.316 --> 26:05.233 bear his name still 70 years later? 26:05.389 --> 26:07.164 And the simple answer is that he lived 26:07.164 --> 26:09.164 at the hinge of history. 26:10.314 --> 26:12.959 Having joined the Army, George Marshall was sent off 26:12.959 --> 26:16.560 to fight in a catastrophic conflict, World War I, 26:16.560 --> 26:19.060 in which 1.2 million Doughboys 26:19.192 --> 26:22.262 came to pay America's debt to Lafayette. 26:22.262 --> 26:26.262 He lived war and he lived all of its injustices. 26:27.741 --> 26:30.182 When the Armistice came, Marshall went home to America 26:30.182 --> 26:31.962 and lived through the Great Depression, 26:31.962 --> 26:35.181 seeing grown men and women with despair in their eyes. 26:35.181 --> 26:38.081 For 20 years, he learned and he matured 26:38.081 --> 26:40.453 watching the storm clouds gather again 26:40.453 --> 26:43.449 over the continent he had left behind. 26:43.449 --> 26:45.629 When the storm broke in 1939, 26:45.629 --> 26:48.796 he witnessed the failed peace of 1918. 26:49.207 --> 26:52.423 Fourteen percent of Europe's pre-war population 26:52.423 --> 26:56.590 was killed or displaced during the Second World War. 26:56.890 --> 27:00.063 Our nations experienced the horrors that can only happen 27:00.063 --> 27:02.189 when freedom is imperiled. 27:02.189 --> 27:06.356 When peaceful pursuits of civilized life are suspended, 27:06.606 --> 27:09.385 when deterrents fails and our societies 27:09.385 --> 27:11.552 are engulfed in total war. 27:12.299 --> 27:14.900 When at enormous cost, the force of arms 27:14.900 --> 27:17.677 had restored peace to this continent, 27:17.677 --> 27:21.844 the peoples of our nations gazed on that destruction. 27:22.081 --> 27:26.130 And the U.S. Secretary of State to be, George Schultz, 27:26.130 --> 27:28.010 not yet the secretary, but coming home 27:28.010 --> 27:30.867 a young officer who had served in our World War II 27:30.867 --> 27:35.034 Pacific campaign, he spoke for a generation when he said, 27:35.604 --> 27:38.022 "That they look back on World War's 27:38.022 --> 27:41.888 "a generation that saw 61 million people killed, 27:41.888 --> 27:45.623 "that saw the depression, and they said to themselves, 27:45.623 --> 27:48.582 "what a crummy world, and we're part of it 27:48.582 --> 27:50.856 "whether we like it or not." 27:50.856 --> 27:54.152 Longing for a safer future, the Greatest Generation 27:54.152 --> 27:56.519 as we call them, saw their own security 27:56.519 --> 27:58.686 in the security of others. 27:58.903 --> 28:02.088 They had the courage to recognize all collective efforts 28:02.088 --> 28:05.382 had to be taken to avoid repeating mistakes 28:05.382 --> 28:07.549 that open the door to war. 28:08.409 --> 28:11.784 And should freedom be threatened and war truly unavoidable, 28:11.784 --> 28:14.408 then all efforts had to be taken to bring war 28:14.408 --> 28:17.825 to a decisive end as swiftly as possible. 28:18.500 --> 28:20.581 They also had the courage to act, 28:20.581 --> 28:23.711 not just to look at it, not just to talk about it. 28:23.711 --> 28:25.621 To make the necessary sacrifices, 28:25.621 --> 28:29.628 and to make genuine commitments to keep the peace. 28:29.628 --> 28:32.911 That generation schooled by life's cruelties, 28:32.911 --> 28:36.388 by severe economic deprivation, and the death of friends 28:36.388 --> 28:39.684 and family members, stood face-to-face with the 28:39.684 --> 28:42.517 competitive zero sum side of life. 28:43.498 --> 28:46.783 The vileness of the Second World War waged on a scale 28:46.783 --> 28:50.259 unimagined perhaps, other then by those with memories 28:50.259 --> 28:51.968 of having lived through it. 28:51.968 --> 28:54.075 Nevertheless left the generation aware 28:54.075 --> 28:58.242 that there is more to life than war and competition alone. 28:58.832 --> 29:01.249 In 1947, Europe lay in ruins. 29:02.781 --> 29:05.538 Starvation, poverty, desperation and chaos 29:05.538 --> 29:07.888 clamored to dictate the future. 29:07.888 --> 29:10.653 And enter Marshall who saw his generations moment 29:10.653 --> 29:12.986 and transcribed its lessons. 29:14.014 --> 29:16.196 It is logical he said, that the United States 29:16.196 --> 29:19.113 should do whatever it is able to do 29:19.373 --> 29:22.249 to assist in the return of normal economic health 29:22.249 --> 29:23.332 in the world. 29:24.041 --> 29:26.715 Without which there can be no political stability 29:26.715 --> 29:28.465 and no assured peace. 29:29.100 --> 29:31.125 Under the Marshall Plan, the United States provided 29:31.125 --> 29:33.133 billions in aid to Europe. 29:33.133 --> 29:35.335 After the war, as part of a larger effort 29:35.335 --> 29:38.270 to rebuild and secure the continent. 29:38.270 --> 29:41.239 Marshall knew history swings on a hinge, 29:41.239 --> 29:44.277 and the Marshall Plan permitted hundreds of millions 29:44.277 --> 29:48.387 to keep their humanity, confident of the basic social order, 29:48.387 --> 29:51.304 from food, to security, rule of law 29:51.691 --> 29:54.358 and essential political freedom. 29:54.515 --> 29:57.039 Twenty years after the plan took effect, 29:57.039 --> 29:59.061 the per capita gross domestic product 29:59.061 --> 30:03.228 of U.K., France, Italy and Germany had more than doubled. 30:03.842 --> 30:06.631 But to keep the peace, a resuscitated Europe 30:06.631 --> 30:09.775 had to become a partner in it as Marshall said, 30:09.775 --> 30:13.361 and as Minister Von der Leyen just pointed out. 30:13.361 --> 30:17.037 It is neither fitting nor efficacious he said, 30:17.037 --> 30:20.289 for the U.S. government to draw up unilaterally a program 30:20.289 --> 30:23.371 to place Europe on its feet economically. 30:23.371 --> 30:25.988 This is the business of the Europeans. 30:25.988 --> 30:29.071 The initiative must come from Europe. 30:29.987 --> 30:32.575 As Marshall told the U.N. General Assembly in Paris 30:32.575 --> 30:36.742 in 1948, international organizations cannot take the place 30:37.551 --> 30:40.218 of national and personal effort, 30:40.258 --> 30:43.508 or of local and individual imagination. 30:43.656 --> 30:47.489 International action cannot replace self-help. 30:47.855 --> 30:52.022 And so out of destruction and unified by that notion 30:52.420 --> 30:55.081 our peoples built a great new world, 30:55.081 --> 30:58.230 the Bretton Woods institutions, the IMF and World Bank, 30:58.230 --> 31:00.596 the United Nations, the general agreement 31:00.596 --> 31:01.910 on tariffs and trade. 31:01.910 --> 31:04.383 Marshall's generation built these tools 31:04.383 --> 31:08.050 to help underwrite stability and prosperity. 31:09.183 --> 31:11.150 The last 70 years have proven the value 31:11.150 --> 31:15.317 of these institutions and the wisdom of that generation. 31:15.515 --> 31:18.298 Europe transformed from a security consumer 31:18.298 --> 31:20.381 into a security provider, 31:20.922 --> 31:23.316 something Marshall ardently desired, 31:23.316 --> 31:25.522 for he never envisioned that America 31:25.522 --> 31:27.840 would carry the burden alone. 31:27.840 --> 31:30.774 He knew from experience it had to be shared, 31:30.774 --> 31:33.607 both its benefits and its burdens. 31:33.925 --> 31:37.108 Since World War I, excuse me since World War II, 31:37.108 --> 31:39.381 European allies have contributed to large-scale, 31:39.381 --> 31:41.631 U.S. led global operations. 31:41.856 --> 31:45.096 At peak contributions, 39,000 allies fought 31:45.096 --> 31:47.460 with the United States in Afghanistan, 31:47.460 --> 31:50.877 and 59,000 allies fought with us in Iraq. 31:51.002 --> 31:54.254 We must not allow the years passed since 1947 31:54.254 --> 31:57.254 to blind us to the reality of today. 31:57.292 --> 31:59.949 For those of us who grew up with freedom from fear, 31:59.949 --> 32:03.165 from starvation and the burden of world war, 32:03.165 --> 32:05.639 we cannot turn away from the responsibility 32:05.639 --> 32:09.806 to pass these same freedoms intact to the next generation. 32:10.538 --> 32:14.392 Allies stick together as we did 69 years ago this week, 32:14.392 --> 32:17.193 when the Soviet Union blockaded Berlin, 32:17.193 --> 32:20.860 and the United States refused to abandon it. 32:20.991 --> 32:23.144 U.S. Air Force Captain Billy Phelps 32:23.144 --> 32:26.561 flew 167 flights into that stranded city. 32:26.947 --> 32:29.512 Bringing food and coal to save its inhabitants 32:29.512 --> 32:32.179 from starvation and bitter cold. 32:32.179 --> 32:35.939 Captain Phelps was 26 years old the night his cargo plane 32:35.939 --> 32:38.958 crashed a mile from the end of the runway. 32:38.958 --> 32:43.018 A German boy named Wolfgang Samuel saw it happen. 32:43.018 --> 32:46.594 Wolf wrote they fell like a rock out the sky. 32:46.594 --> 32:48.717 The two pilots were killed. 32:48.717 --> 32:52.217 And then the child had a flash of insight. 32:52.948 --> 32:55.796 He said, "Only three years ago they were fighting 32:55.796 --> 32:58.981 "against my country, and now they were dying for us. 32:58.981 --> 33:00.731 "I wondered, he said, 33:00.834 --> 33:04.834 "what made these people do the things they did." 33:04.951 --> 33:07.506 Captain Phelps knew he owed future generations 33:07.506 --> 33:09.506 the same freedom he had. 33:09.533 --> 33:11.938 And what young Wolfgang, a little German kid, 33:11.938 --> 33:15.021 saw that cold December night in 1948, 33:15.283 --> 33:18.033 we can see clearly today in 1917. 33:19.397 --> 33:21.469 We can see foreigners putting their lives 33:21.469 --> 33:24.606 on the line for others; whether Captain Billy Phelps 33:24.606 --> 33:26.510 of the Berlin Airlift, or the men and women 33:26.510 --> 33:28.681 of NATO's enhanced forward presence 33:28.681 --> 33:32.848 under German leadership in the Lithuanian woods right now. 33:33.024 --> 33:35.994 We can see U.S. support for NATO's forward presence 33:35.994 --> 33:37.744 extended out to 2020, 33:38.864 --> 33:42.913 for the security of the United States and all NATO nations. 33:42.913 --> 33:46.044 We can see the 4.8 billion dollars requested 33:46.044 --> 33:48.032 by President Trump last month, 33:48.032 --> 33:50.372 for the European Reassurance Initiative, 33:50.372 --> 33:53.657 an increase over our commitment last year. 33:53.657 --> 33:55.884 Beyond any words in the newspapers, 33:55.884 --> 33:59.051 you can judge America by such actions. 33:59.080 --> 34:00.621 This is who we are. 34:00.621 --> 34:03.538 America, Germany, Europe, the West, 34:05.069 --> 34:08.569 we risk life so a child in Berlin can eat. 34:09.223 --> 34:12.339 We hunt terrorists in the dark so that they cannot 34:12.339 --> 34:14.300 murder innocents at concerts, 34:14.300 --> 34:16.267 and our nations stand together, 34:16.267 --> 34:18.178 democratic islands of stability 34:18.178 --> 34:20.595 in a world awash with change. 34:21.294 --> 34:24.569 The Marshall Center embodies this cooperative mission. 34:24.569 --> 34:27.032 It is the only one of the U.S. Defense Department 34:27.032 --> 34:29.980 five regional centers to operate jointly 34:29.980 --> 34:32.147 with a foreign government. 34:32.196 --> 34:34.919 It is one of many tangible manifestations 34:34.919 --> 34:39.017 of the enduring alliance between Germany and America. 34:39.017 --> 34:41.477 In October last year, Germany and the United States 34:41.477 --> 34:43.412 signed a memorandum of agreement, 34:43.412 --> 34:46.664 and reinforced a strong U.S.-German partnership here 34:46.664 --> 34:48.959 as Germany assumed an even greater role 34:48.959 --> 34:51.458 in the operation of this highly influential 34:51.458 --> 34:53.458 security studies center. 34:53.920 --> 34:56.353 As the minister noted, over the years, 34:56.353 --> 35:00.086 over 12,000 individuals, civilian and military 35:00.086 --> 35:03.292 from more than 150 countries have come to Garmisch 35:03.292 --> 35:05.868 to transcribe the lessons of history 35:05.868 --> 35:08.512 and apply them to today's challenges, 35:08.512 --> 35:11.595 from organized crime to terrorism, cyber security 35:11.595 --> 35:13.345 and regional threats. 35:13.702 --> 35:16.094 Marshall Center alumni comprise a network 35:16.094 --> 35:18.074 of thought leaders and practitioners, 35:18.074 --> 35:20.448 serving as resources to one another, 35:20.448 --> 35:22.766 and decision-makers worldwide 35:22.766 --> 35:25.825 recognizing that no nation alone can provide 35:25.825 --> 35:27.242 for its security. 35:27.917 --> 35:31.213 In 2014 for example, Romanian and Greek alumni 35:31.213 --> 35:33.473 contributed together to one of Europe's 35:33.473 --> 35:37.394 largest drug seizures, preventing 220 million dollars 35:37.394 --> 35:40.117 in heroin from poisoning children and families 35:40.117 --> 35:41.950 across this continent. 35:42.143 --> 35:44.111 Marshall Center faculty have also assisted 35:44.111 --> 35:47.036 Albania and Moldova in drafting their first ever 35:47.036 --> 35:49.760 national security strategy documents. 35:49.760 --> 35:52.380 Critical for enabling security integration 35:52.380 --> 35:55.630 and contributing to regional stability. 35:55.946 --> 35:58.567 The center's faculty, staff, students and alumni 35:58.567 --> 36:01.481 carry the legacy of this center's namesake. 36:01.481 --> 36:03.822 And for you students here today, 36:03.822 --> 36:06.476 when you return home you have a golden opportunity 36:06.476 --> 36:09.052 to operate at history's hinge as well, 36:09.052 --> 36:11.168 just like George Marshall did. 36:11.168 --> 36:15.139 To close the door to war, exercising your moral authority 36:15.139 --> 36:19.306 and your generation's responsibility to protect freedom. 36:19.384 --> 36:23.301 Western values, respect for a rules-based order 36:24.137 --> 36:27.021 and for national sovereignty, freedom of speech, 36:27.021 --> 36:30.115 freedom of religion, the dignity of the human person, 36:30.115 --> 36:32.635 these are values worth defending. 36:32.635 --> 36:36.218 Marshall said ideals have power to inspire, 36:36.314 --> 36:38.586 and he also said discouraged people 36:38.586 --> 36:42.549 are in sore need of the inspiration of great principles. 36:42.549 --> 36:46.204 Principles represented today by you in this room. 36:46.204 --> 36:48.520 I'll conclude with a message to the nation 36:48.520 --> 36:52.626 choosing to challenge this secure and peaceful order. 36:52.626 --> 36:55.574 The United States seeks to engage with Russia, 36:55.574 --> 36:57.611 and so does the NATO alliance. 36:57.611 --> 37:00.371 But Russia must know both what we stand for 37:00.371 --> 37:02.909 and, equally, what we will not tolerate. 37:02.909 --> 37:06.228 We stand for freedom and we will never surrender 37:06.228 --> 37:08.478 the freedom of our people or the values 37:08.478 --> 37:11.311 of our alliance that we hold dear. 37:11.956 --> 37:14.182 I mentioned a moment ago that discouraged people 37:14.182 --> 37:16.668 in need of inspiration, and there are millions 37:16.668 --> 37:19.763 of people like that who live today in Russia. 37:19.763 --> 37:23.659 Their leader making mischief beyond Russian borders 37:23.659 --> 37:27.826 will not restore their fortunes or rekindle their hope. 37:28.002 --> 37:31.025 And while we will meet with any aggression 37:31.025 --> 37:35.192 with what Danish Defense Minister Claus Frederiksen said, 37:36.661 --> 37:40.161 was determination, deterrents and purpose. 37:40.644 --> 37:42.875 We will also watch for a Russia that honors 37:42.875 --> 37:46.508 its people enough to abide by international law, 37:46.508 --> 37:50.508 and so win for them the peace that we all offer. 37:50.567 --> 37:54.212 NATO's troops are deployed right now as we speak 37:54.212 --> 37:57.013 in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, 37:57.013 --> 37:59.556 and they demonstrate NATO's resolve. 37:59.556 --> 38:01.563 I am grateful to those host nations, 38:01.563 --> 38:03.305 as well as to the framework nations, 38:03.305 --> 38:06.816 Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, 38:06.816 --> 38:09.898 and of course Germany, for sending their fine troops 38:09.898 --> 38:12.835 to lead in this wholly defensive mission, 38:12.835 --> 38:16.648 augmented by troops from ten other NATO nations. 38:16.648 --> 38:19.753 This is a profound example of a united NATO. 38:19.753 --> 38:23.309 Our alliance has long been a stabilizing force in Europe, 38:23.309 --> 38:25.086 and it helps preserve the rules-based 38:25.086 --> 38:27.253 international order today. 38:27.325 --> 38:30.469 And it serves again now, to keep the peace 38:30.469 --> 38:32.389 and defend the shared values that grew out 38:32.389 --> 38:33.940 of the enlightenment. 38:33.940 --> 38:37.124 In closing ladies and gentlemen, in 1961 38:37.124 --> 38:41.207 a young academic and German immigrant to America, 38:41.444 --> 38:42.907 one who had served in the U.S. Army 38:42.907 --> 38:45.281 and was a veteran of World War II, 38:45.281 --> 38:47.058 paid a visit to the Missouri home 38:47.058 --> 38:49.808 of former president Harry Truman. 38:50.289 --> 38:54.123 The president was in his late 70s and long since retired. 38:54.123 --> 38:57.386 The academic was none other than Henry Kissinger, 38:57.386 --> 39:00.659 and he asked Truman, what in his presidency 39:00.659 --> 39:02.992 had made him the most proud? 39:04.147 --> 39:08.096 Without a moments hesitation, President Truman said to him, 39:08.096 --> 39:10.784 that we defeated our enemies, and then brought them back 39:10.784 --> 39:13.951 to the community of nations as equals. 39:15.163 --> 39:18.735 Today we make our adversary's the same promise. 39:18.735 --> 39:21.952 Enemies of freedom will be frustrated or defeated. 39:21.952 --> 39:24.619 Supporters of international law will be brought in 39:24.619 --> 39:26.869 to our community as equals. 39:27.014 --> 39:30.599 Our hands rest purposefully on history's door, 39:30.599 --> 39:33.468 and it depends on us to push it in the right direction. 39:33.468 --> 39:36.089 Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen. 39:36.089 --> 39:38.339 (applause)