亲爱的瑞恩太太：
我满怀欣喜之情通知您，您的儿子，列兵詹姆斯瑞恩平安无事。 此刻，他正在从欧洲战场返乡的途中。
来自前线的报告表明， 在他得知三个哥哥在这场为铲除独裁和压迫的世界大战中不幸牺牲的消息后，仍以非凡的勇气和赤诚之心，履行了他的职责。
我很荣幸的，以最高统帅和全军将士，以及对您充满感激之情的全国人民的名义
祝您，在詹姆斯瑞恩的陪伴下，幸福，安康。
“任何事情，包括您的爱子归来，都无法弥补您以及千百万美国家庭在这场灾难性战争中所饱受的巨大损失。
我，恳求上帝抚平您失去爱子的哀伤，心中留下对英烈们的珍贵记忆，以及您当之无愧的为自由而奉献的神圣的自豪感
——阿伯拉罕.林肯 “
您最最忠诚的美军总参谋长
乔治.马歇尔
My Dear Mrs. Ryan：
It's with the most profound sense of joy
That I write to inform you your son ,
Private James Ryan ,
Is well and , at this very moment ,
On his way home from European battlefields .
Reports from the front indicate James did his duty in combat
With great courage and steadfast dedication
Even after he was informed of the tragic loss
Your family has suffered in this great campaign
To rid the world of tyranny and oppression .
I take great pleasure in joining the secretary of war ,
The men and women of the United States Army ,
And the citizens of a grateful nation
In wishing you good health and many years of happiness
with James at your side .
Nothing , Not even the safe return of a beloved son ,
Can compensate you
Or the thousands of other American families
Who have suffered great loss in this tragic war .
And I might share with you some words
Which have sustained me
Through long , dark nights
Of peril , loss and heartache .
And I ‘quote ,
" I pray that our Heavenly Father
May assuage the anguish of your bereavement
And leave you only the cherished memory
Of the loved and lost
And the solemn pride that must be yours
To have laid so costly a sacrifice
Upon the altar of freedom
——Abraham Lincoln "
Yours very sincerely and respectfully ,
George C . Marshall , General , Chief Of Staff.
《拯救大兵瑞恩》中，我还喜欢最后激战前的这段：
在雷马克描写一战的《西线无战事》中，激烈战斗后的大兵保罗是这样描述的：
我们周围是茂密的草原，草叶在夏末柔和温暖的空气中弯下身姿，我们读着家信，看着报纸，充满享受地吸着烟……今天不用坐在那些大盒子上真是太惬意了，我们刚刚从那里逃脱。今天所有的感觉都是新鲜而强烈的：红色的罂粟花，精美的食物，香烟，还有夏日的微风。
对于保罗来说，刚刚逃脱死亡就和已经经历了一次死亡一样，重获新生，之后的生活就象是后世的美好生活，似乎他感觉到的绝对的高尚、绝对的真实和绝对的自由。他开始珍惜每一个瞬间的价值，重新发现了生命短暂的美丽，那是蜉蝣式短促生命的美丽，就象那夏日的微风中飘散烟雾的美丽。
二战的大兵们亦然。 |
发表于 2008-2-10 20:02:46