Chapter 10 When the Court was full of lilacs-2

The only barriers for these aircraft carriers are several destroyers and escort destroyers.These ships were originally only used for anti-submarine use, with poor defense capabilities, and most of the ship's personnel were recruits who were conscripted into the army after marriage.These destroyers actually counterattacked Kurita's battleships, and then the heroic escort destroyers, although they had not even practiced combat formations, sailed towards the muzzles of the Japanese giant guns.Some of the frigates were already sinking, thick smoke was billowing, and all of a sudden, Kurita's behemoths fell into chaos instead, turning around in the bay.On the other hand, all kinds of aircraft on the US aircraft carrier can fly into the air to participate in the battle.As a result, the Japanese fleet led by Kurita, which was supposed to be the most powerful Japanese fleet since the Battle of Midway, turned around and fled instead.This time, the Japanese navy was completely defeated.Because Halsey didn't know that Ozawa's task force was a bait, and went all out to eat up all of this fleet.In all, the Battle of Wright Gulf cost the Japanese three battleships, four aircraft carriers, and 20 other warships of various kinds.The emperor's navy is finished.

The U.S. Sixth Army and Eighth Army surrounded the enemy forces on Wright Island, getting tighter and tighter.Yamashita, who was in Manila at the time, thought Wright Island was hopeless at Christmas.In fact, on Wright Island, St. Patrick's Day is March 17 the following year. ——The translator was liberated, and at that time the mountain was at the end of the mountain and there was nothing he could do. On December 12, U.S. forces attacked Mindanao.Three weeks later, four more American divisions landed at Lingayen Bay in Luzon, meeting almost no enemy resistance.U.S. forces bypassed the northern fortifications at the foot of the mountain and rushed to Bataan, then attacked Corregidor, and finally liberated Manila in early March.

As an army officer pointed out with a wry smile at the time, back to Bataan and the Corregidor peninsula, the situation for the United States was no different than when the war broke out. It could be said to be "starting from scratch."It is true that the B-29 has begun to bomb the Japanese mainland, but this goal is still far away across the ocean and is beyond reach.The task of approaching the Japanese mainland will depend on the attack of the US military in the Central Pacific, from Tarawa through the Marshall Islands, and then advance to Saipan, which is the other wing of the pincer offensive.The next target was the volcanic island of Iwo Jima, which Admiral Kim called "the steps to the Ogasawara Islands." From Saipan, the B-29s could strike the Japanese capital, but only barely enough superior.The bomb load of the super sky fortress can only be limited to two tons. If it is damaged in an air strike, it cannot fly back.If the U.S. military occupies Iwo Jima, it will be only 660 miles away from Japan. The B-29 could carry seven tons of bombs, and Tokyo would no longer be able to get air raid warnings from Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima is only eight square miles, but the enemy takes it very seriously.Before the attack, the navy bombarded the island for 74 days, but the Japanese defense forces seemed to take it in stride, because they had no barracks on the ground at all.Most of the caverns have over 35 feet of cover.But all the enemy's firearms can be fired on the beach.The first two hours after the U.S. troops landed were relatively uneventful.Then the Japanese mortars hit the beachhead overwhelmingly.Despite this, the U.S. forces captured Mobalsan and Wonsan Airfield 1 in the first days of the battle.If it was in the first year of the war, the occupation of these places would have been considered a success.The U.S. military is waiting for the Japanese army to say "Long live, go ahead" and let them come to die.However, they did not come to this set.Now the enemy army has received comprehensive training in the tactics of Biak Island, and they have always persisted in bunkers and canyons.By the end of the war in March, the numbers were relentless: 19,000 Marine casualties.

As for the enemy, the casualty figures were even more relentless.As the saying goes: "If you are unlucky, you will be unlucky at every step."The Japanese have a saying similar to this: "Bad things never come from one place."At this time, the swarming super sky fortress hovered at low altitude over the Japanese mainland, and began to systematically destroy 80 cities in Japan. On March 9th, a major air raid on Tokyo killed 100,000 people in one day.Halsey's aircraft carrier has entered the South China Sea, cutting off the enemy's gasoline and food transportation lines.Showa's fleet of merchant marines was few and far between, and the number of enemy ships sunk by American submarines was soon approaching a thousand.After the bombing of Yokohama and Osaka, shacks were erected everywhere.The common people of Japan suffered from tuberculosis and malaria.They have ration certificates but cannot buy food.The commander of the Japanese army in Manchuria sent again dire news that Russian troops were moving across the frontier.It can be said that "bad things don't hit one place"!

However, the morale of the Japanese showed no signs of disintegration.Both old men and women were armed with bamboo spears. "Come and beat us!" "Tokyo Rose" was still provoking there.To fight the war, the U.S. military also needs an offensive base, and that is Okinawa.The island's commander, General Mitsutoshi Ushishima, had anticipated the enemy's approach near Yangdan Airport on April 1 as early as March.Not only did he guess right, but he was caught off guard by these uninvited guests. April 1 happened to be Easter, but to the soldiers of the U.S. Army and Marine Corps who waded ashore, it still seemed like April Fool's Day.It was like an invincible army there.No one would have guessed that it would take almost three months to conquer the island, or that it would be one of the most brutal battles of the Pacific War.In fact, Niu Dao has concentrated 100,000 troops in the southern 1/3 of the island.By April 12, it became clear that Okinawa was another bloody battle like Iwo Jima.The catacombs on the island have been converted into bunkers, and rails have been installed in the caves, and heavy artillery can be moved in and out on the rails.Ushido still wants to win.His strategy is to let all the United States go ashore and use kamikaze to destroy all the U.S. fleet.Then the U.S. Marine Corps and Army are like meat on the anvil, which can be slaughtered without haste.

At that time Roosevelt was recuperating in Georgia Hot Springs. He was neatly dressed and sitting comfortably in a leather armchair.From here, the world looks much better.Smiling and confident, he sat chatting with Lucy Rutherford and two visiting cousins, Margaret Thackeray and Laura Delano.From a strategic point of view, the US military is victorious on all battlefields.Germany had been cut in two, and the Wehrmacht had crumbled apart from a few recalcitrant encircled areas, often tens of thousands everywhere surrendering to the Allies.Of course, solving Japan's problems is more difficult.Iwo Jima had been conquered, and sooner or later Okinawa would be resolved; the game was settled, there was no doubt about it.But as of April 12, 196,669 people had been killed in the war with the Axis powers.The total number of casualties reached 899669.In the past week alone, 6,481 people were lost.This fact clearly cannot be ignored.He said to the people around him: After such a great sacrifice, world peace must be absolutely guaranteed.

Just before noon, Bill Hassett hauled in leather leather bags from Washington.The mail has arrived.He suggested that the president review it after lunch, but Roosevelt wanted to do it immediately.Hassett put in front of him an official document from the State Department that asked him to comment. Roosevelt smiled and said to the women present: "Look, a typical State Department official document. It doesn't talk about anything." Then he reviewed other documents. A number of postmaster appointments, some daily letters, and some certificates of honor honoring eminent Allied statesmen required his no longer strong signature.At that time, the White House still didn't like to use ballpoint pens, thinking that they were just a fashionable gadget.However, it is easy to rub off with a fountain pen, which will stain the document.So, as the president signed, Hassett spread out the signed documents on the couch, empty chairs and rugs.When he approved Senate Bill 298, the Agricultural Credit Corporation was established in 1933 to support agricultural prices. ——Translator extended, he winked at Lucy and said: "Look, here is a law I made." At this time, there was a voice in the corridor outside, and it turned out to be Mrs. Elizabeth Shumatov who painted the portrait coming.She looked in and saw papers strewn everywhere, feeling in a dilemma. "Come in!" said Roosevelt. "Bill's stuff isn't dry yet!"

Hassett packed up quickly without even looking at her.He didn't like Mrs. Shumatov, thinking that she interfered too much with the president, either measuring his nose, asking him to turn this side, sideways, or even what clothes he wore.Today, he was wearing a vest and a Harvard tie, neither of which Hassett liked.In Hassett's view, this is "unnecessarily tormenting patients."He didn't even think she was a great artist.But Lucy liked her, and Roosevelt liked her too.Hassett delivered a batch of State Department reports to Roosevelt and left.The lady erected her easel and helped him throw his navy cape over his shoulders.He was immediately engrossed in the papers.

Those are diplomatic documents.All week, Roosevelt was upset by Russia's duplicity. (Two hours earlier, he had telegraphed to Churchill: "We must be firm.") So Roosevelt, in his final moments, may have been reflecting on the Yalta Conference held in Crimea two months earlier, Such speculation is not fanciful.He went to the meeting because his military advisers told him he had to.Regardless of General MacArthur, General Albert Weydemeyer, and the chiefs of staff of the three armed forces, they all advocated that the Soviet Union should declare war on Japan, and believed that it was worth paying any price.Six months later, atomic weapons had permanently changed the nature of warfare and geopolitics.But at this time, no one who knew the Manhattan Project thought it was worth mentioning.President Roosevelt's chief of staff, Admiral Li Haihai, wrote: "The atomic bomb will never explode. I say this as an explosion expert."

In Yalta, Roosevelt and Churchill got more from Stalin than they expected.They had previously seen the Soviet dictator as a formidable negotiator.He always seemed to show no emotion, and spoke in a Slavic language that no one understood (his English vocabulary was limited to "so what..." "That's what you said!" "Over there the bathroom!" and " What's going on here?"), and in his present situation, he could have gloated and looked on.In the past three years, he has always been the weakest of the three parties, begging Britain and the United States to open a second front in Europe, but he has not offered any quid pro quo.At this time, they have to ask for advice.Still, he was tactful.He secretly agreed to form an anti-Japanese alliance.The conditions are that the Soviet Union will obtain certain privileges in "Manchuria" (especially half of the shares in the eastern end of the Trans-Siberian Railway), the Kuril Islands, the northern half of Sakhalin Island (another island north of Japan), the occupied area of ​​​​Korea, the great power The veto in the United Nations, etc.Another secret agreement that later caused great controversy in the United States was to allow Ukraine and Belarus to obtain seats in the United Nations Organization.In addition, the United States and Britain agreed to the autonomy of Outer Mongolia. Poland's borders were to be redrawn, and part of the land that originally belonged to Germany was to be included in Poland.Stalin, along with his allies, solemnly pledged that the countries of Eastern Europe, including Poland, would choose their leaders and governments through free elections.Much later, people were still attacking the president of the United States and the prime minister of the United Kingdom as naive.How can the sworn enemies of such a democracy be trusted, the people ask, when the reality is that they have little choice.They are at war with Japan, Russia is not.Regardless of whether the Soviet Union promised or not, the Soviet Red Army can decide to act on its own.The Russian dictator at the time seemed to be in a very generous mood, elated by his victories in Europe.As for the biggest beneficiary of the meeting, it seems to be Chiang Kai-shek.Stalin signed a treaty with Chiang, recognizing him as the ruler of all of China and promising to persuade the Chinese on Mao Zedong's side to cooperate with Chiang Kai-shek. Both Pat Hurley and Henry Luce praised the Yalta agreement, as did the British and American press.Two seasoned Kremlin experts, Averill Harriman and George Kennan, were skeptical of the agreement.But in early 1945, this was not the prevailing view.Churchill once asked Eisenhower to "join the Russian army as far east of the Elbe as possible." Ike disagreed.He withdrew the original order to General Patton to move the U.S. troops into Prague, and ordered the U.S. troops east of the Elbe to withdraw to the west of the river, allowing the Russian army to liberate the Czech Republic, East Germany and Berlin.Later, after his visit to Moscow, he said in a speech: "The decisive factor of Russia's policy is first of all their friendship with the United States." At the hot springs, Roosevelt moved in the meditation and looked at his watch.It's 1 p.m."We only have 15 minutes," he told Mrs. Shumatov. She couldn't draw a few strokes at this time.Roosevelt had been engrossed in reading the document just now, and she was afraid to ask him to pose, so she had to use this time to color in the drawing. Lizzie McDuffie, the elderly Negro maid of the White House, stopped at the door and glanced into the living room.She saw Lucy Rutherford facing the President.He had just made a wisecrack and she was smiling.Later Lizzie said to people: "This is the last impression of Mr. Roosevelt on me. I remember his last scene, he was looking at the smiling face of a beautiful woman." Roosevelt put a cigarette in the mouthpiece and lit it.At this moment, he had already slipped out of the portrait posture, and the painter also knew that it was impossible for him to sit still.She looked at him and saw that he raised his left hand to touch his temple and pressed it.It seemed that he wanted to pinch his forehead, but the hand dropped, the fingers twitching, as if groping for something.Miss Thackeray put down her crochet hook, walked up to Roosevelt and said, "Did you drop something?" He pressed the back of his neck with his left hand, closed his eyes, and whispered—the voice was so faint that only she could hear it. — "I have a terrible headache." His arms dropped and his head fell to the left.The front chest is bent down.It was 1:15 p.m. Daisy Thackeray called Brun immediately and told Mrs. Shumatov to get the nearest secret agent.When the painter found it, he headed for her car.Lucy Rutherford followed in haste, and Eleanor Roosevelt must not know that she was there.Of course, he will recover.Word spread in the White House, and everyone thought he would turn around.The United States without Roosevelt in the White House, how can this be tolerated! The young people who fought abroad remember that the President of the United States has always been Roosevelt.His condition is temporary and the doctors will heal him.Everyone, you comfort me, I comfort you, and you have no doubts about his recovery.Only doctors see it differently. By order of Dr. McIntyre, Dr. Bruin was now effectively the President's entourage.He was always near the President, ready to call.At 9:30 a.m., Dr. Bruin examined the president before he went to breakfast.There is no abnormality in the heart, but the blood pressure is quite high - high pressure 180, low pressure 110-120.But this is not a cause for concern, his blood pressure has been so high for a period of time.And he wasn't nervous.For a week, in his conversations with the doctor, he had repeatedly criticized Stalin's behavior since Yalta, but this morning the subject had not been brought up.At this time Brunn ran into the villa and saw Roosevelt lying on the chair, leaning on the armrest for support.Roosevelt's cousins ​​sat transfixed on the couch. The president's breathing was intermittent and became short and hoarse.His tongue blocked his throat.The neck was already stiff, the pressure reached 300, and the left eye was wide open.It turned out that one of his cerebral arteries may be fragile and fragile due to aging, and at this time there was a perforation.Blood seeps from the hole into the cranial cavity surrounding the brain.The brain is sensitive to any change and is sending out signals of intense pain.The patient's eyes have been deformed, and he feels dizzy; his breathing is hoarse, as if he is snoring, which can be heard by people around him.From the doctor's point of view, there can only be one explanation for these symptoms, and that is that the patient has suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage.Brunn could not yet determine the severity at the time, but he was able to give first aid first.He quickly cut open Roosevelt's clothes, injected papaverine and amyl nitrite into the president's arms, and put him in striped blue pajamas.He was then gently carried to his maple bed, assisted by a footman and the Navy physical therapist who gave the president daily massages.People outside the room could only hear hoarse panting and muffled snoring. Brune immediately reported to Dr. McIntyre in Washington, who agreed with his diagnosis and treatment.Today, doctors would be afraid to inject amyl nitrite because it lowers blood pressure and reduces blood flow to the brain.But the president was incapable of returning to life anyway.He has been unconscious for 50 minutes.Bruin then reported to McIntyre that the patient's blood vessels constricted sharply and he was partially paralyzed.McIntyre called Dr. James Pollin, a well-known specialist in Atlanta, and asked him to go to the hot springs as soon as possible.Pauline took a shortcut, took a shortcut, and drove at full speed to the hot springs, arriving in less than an hour and a half ("Be ready to be detained by the traffic police at any time," he later told people).He reported to McIntyre: "When I arrived, the president was dying. He was covered in cold sweat, his face was pale, he had difficulty breathing, and there were many chest murmurs... I was in his room. Within five minutes, his life All signs were gone. It was 3:35." The president's dog, Farah, has been squatting quietly in the bedroom.Then it seemed to feel something was wrong, and suddenly jumped out of the corner, rushed out of the screen door, barked frantically, and rushed up a nearby hill.Then it fell silent, motionless, like a wake. In the president's quarters, the first to say goodbye to the body was his secretary, Grace Tully. "I didn't look at the people present and didn't say a word. I walked into his bedroom, bent down, and kissed him lightly on the forehead." (i.e. the new president) report and then break the news to the press.Hassett and Brunn asked Dr. McIntyre to transfer the call to Presidential Press Secretary Steve Early.Steve Early fought back his grief and told them not to spread the word until he informed Eleanor Roosevelt. The President's wife was at the Salgrave Club at 1801 Massachusetts Avenue in Northwest Washington.There was the annual tea party, at which she was going to speak.Just after 3 p.m., when the president had been unconscious for 45 minutes, Laura Delano called from the hot springs and told her carefully that the president was "unconscious."A few minutes later, McIntyre called again.He said there was no need to panic, but he had informed the Navy to send his wife and himself to Georgia on a special plane.She asked if she would like to cancel the scheduled speech.He said it was not necessary, because it would cause rumors outside.She accepted the opinion and delivered a speech on the United Nations as originally planned.Next, pianist Ewaryn Tanner played some selections.Later, Mrs. Roosevelt was called to answer the phone.This time it was Steve Early calling.In her words, he was "out of his mind" and asked her to "come home immediately".Distraught, she felt that "something was wrong, but she had to pay attention to etiquette, so she went back to the venue".She waited for Miss Tanner to finish playing, and went forward to say goodbye, saying: "I have been called to go back to the White House, please forgive me for leaving early before this wonderful concert is over." The president's limousine was waiting for her outside.She “got into the car and went all the way back to the White House with her hands clasped. I knew what was going on. But something like that, you don’t let that horrible thought materialize until someone else talks about it.” When she got back to the living room on the second floor of the Presidential Palace, she sent for Early.Afterwards, he told the press that when she heard the news, she said: "I am very sad, but I am even more sad for the people of my country and the people of the world."It was Early's idea.Eleanor had simply told him at the time that she wanted to see Truman right away. The 60-year-old 34th Vice President was sitting in the Senate President's seat at that time, with a thick blue velvet tapestry inlaid with gold on his back, and bright red marble columns on both sides. He was presiding over the Senate Meeting.Instead he wrote:  Dear Mother and Mary: I am writing to you today from the presidency of the Senate because a bombastic Senator is speaking on a subject that he knows nothing about.A junior senator from Arizona spoke first on the issue, and he had something to say. He hoped for clear skies back home, where in Washington it was "rainy and foggy."He also said he would fly to Providence on Sunday morning.Then he said: Turn on the radio tomorrow night at 9:30 (your local time) and you will hear Harry address the nation on Jefferson's birthday.All radio networks across the country will probably broadcast it, so it should be easy to listen to.After my speech, I will also give an introductory speech and invite the president to deliver a speech. Best of luck and peace always, with kind regards Please write when you are free. After Senator Alexander Waley's speech, Alban Buckley suggested that the meeting be adjourned and resumed the next day. At 4:56, the vice president wrapped up his day, completely unaware that he had been the 33rd president of the United States for more than an hour.He wandered over to have a drink with House Speaker Sam Rayburn.He was drinking whiskey-and-water when the White House switchboard found him."Come here right now, please, come in through the main entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue," said Early. Truman was a little puzzled.He thought that the president came back from the hot spring early and wanted to talk to him about some small matters.But when I got upstairs, I could see from Eleanor Roosevelt's face that it was not indifferent.She gently put her hand on his shoulder and said calmly, "Harry, the President has passed away".Truman was at a loss for a while, and asked her what he could do to help her. She said, "No, what can we do to help you? It's you who is in trouble now." Seventeen minutes later, at 5:47 p.m., the White House switchboard notified the Associated Press, the United Press, and the International News Service that they would later merge into the United Press International.Listen to urgent news releases on the phone.Reporters from the three news agencies picked up the receiver and heard the following conversation: "This is Steve Early. There is an urgent call. The President passed away suddenly this afternoon at . . . " That was enough, said Hearst's International Press Agency, the first to dispatch: INTERNATIONAL PRESS WASHINGTON URGENT (April 12, 5:47) WASHINGTON - 30 seconds after Roosevelt's death, the United Press followed suit: WASHINGTON URGENT: President Roosevelt passed away this afternoon. Two minutes later (at 5:49 p.m.), The Associated Press generated: WASHINGTON URGENT--President Roosevelt dies in Hot Springs, Georgia, in the afternoon. A news rewriter in the Washington bureau of the United Press transcribed Early's dictation in journalistic shorthand. In Hot Springs, Georgia—died of cerebral hemorrhage—Vice President Truman notified, at White House by Mrs. Roosevelt—Secretary of State informed—Cabinet called—Four sons in the Army telegraphed by mother, The content is roughly-the president will sleep forever in the afternoon.He has devoted himself to his duty and will continue to do his duty to the end, and he also hopes that you will do your duty to the end.God bless you.Kind regards.Mrs. Roosevelt signed "Mother".The telegram is actually: Dear child, father will sleep in the afternoon.He has devoted himself to his duties and will continue to do his duty to the end, and he also hopes that you will perform your duties to the end.God bless you and kind regards.mother. Mrs. Roosevelt, Lieutenant General McIntyre, and Steve Early left Jingfei Hot Spring by plane in the afternoon—(Steve said) we expect to leave the hot spring tomorrow morning and take the train back to Washington—the condolences were held in the East Room of the White House on Saturday afternoon Held - a burial in Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon - details and time have yet to be confirmed. Ask the hot spring for details. David Brinkley, 24, is on duty at the WRC Radio offices on the corner of New York Avenue and NW 14th Street.He heard the bell of the teletypewriter of the International News Agency rang four times, and hurriedly tore off the urgent telegram and handed it to his superior.The radio stations were airing children's programming, NBC's long-running children's story "The Blockbuster Farrell," CBS's "Big Road," ABC's "Captain Midnight," and CBS's "Tom Farrell." Jukes.However, by 5:49, the various broadcast networks and local stations had replaced their announcers.For four days in a row, all commercials stopped.Everything else isn't worth playing.A housewife in the Bronx, New York, was asked if she had heard the telegram.She cried and said, "What do I want the radio for? Just look at everyone's face." Whether they knew each other or not, people told each other, or called friends, or used long-distance calls to tell relatives.Before most people in the hot spring knew what had happened, the urgent telegram had already been broadcast in London, Moscow, and even Tokyo and Berlin.In Germany, night fell and Eisenhower was meeting with Patton and Bradley.After the meeting, they all had a rest. Button suddenly remembered that he had forgotten to wind his watch, so he turned on the radio to adjust the time.Suddenly, the BBC announcer's voice choked and said sadly: "It is with great sadness that we announce that the President of the United States has passed away." Patton immediately woke Bradley up, and then the two men woke up Ike again.At about the same time, on the road near Macon, Georgia, Lucy Rutherford, who was in the same car as Mrs. Shumatov, asked her if she could turn on the radio.The painter nodded.They heard a burst of soft music, and then suddenly interrupted-"We interrupted the program to report a special telegram to the audience..." Lucy felt breathless and covered her face with her hands. Eleanor Roosevelt called her sons and told them that their father had dedicated himself to his duty and that "I hope you will also do your duty to the end", which was indeed a sincere statement.She has a strong sense of responsibility and a Victorian legacy.When she left the Salgrave Club, she also tried her best not to disrupt the proceedings of the meeting and not to embarrass others.She believes that dealing with things must be decent, and her children understand it.U.S. Navy Reserve Captain John Roosevelt watches from the command podium of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp in waters off Okinawa.At this time he heard the call from Lieutenant Commander Franklin Roosevelt, U.S. Navy Reserve, from the destroyer USS Urwit L. Moore under his command.In enemy waters, it is not permissible to reveal who the speaker is, but it is not necessary.Because after all, not many people speak with Groton and Harvard accents. "Man, are you going back?" the voice from the destroyer asked. "No," replied the man on the "Wasp" podium, "what about you?" Roosevelt Jr. said to him, "No, just clean up this place. Goodbye, man, I'm done." John Roosevelt said : "Goodbye, no need to answer." Americans heard the news of Roosevelt's death in disbelief and shock, but the overwhelming emotion was fear.He has led for so long, who will lead now Cabel Phillips of the New York Times later recalled: What did Roosevelt's death mean? Can't help but dumbfounded. "We all said, 'My God, Truman is going to be president!'" But, at the time, there was no need to think about Truman, nor was there any possibility.The shadow of Roosevelt's death still hangs over the country.Eleanor later admitted that it was only then that she realized how connected Roosevelt was to Americans.Anne O'Hare McCormick wrote in The New York Times: "For 12 years he held the presidency, and he himself was highly respected, and the two combined to make people in other countries also call him 'President. , as if he were the president of the whole world. He was neither humble nor arrogant, and he did not need to be arrogant or pretend to be humble in front of others. He was a completely poised person. His great qualities were particularly evident when he passed away. .” Some people's reactions were unexpected.Robert A. Taft was very emotional. He said in a trembling voice: "It is concluded that he was a wartime hero. He did die for the American people." The obituary editorial published by the New York Times , The author's grief is beyond words. "At a time when powerful and cruel barbaric forces are threatening to ravage the entire Western civilization, Roosevelt is fortunate to sit in the White House. A hundred years from now, mankind will bow down and thank God for it." The New York Symphony Orchestra cancels the concert at Carnegie Hall This is the first concert since Lincoln's death in 1865.In London, Churchill heard the news when he was about to enter the study room at No. 10 Downing Street. It is also an exception for the funerals of non-royal family members to be published in this newspaper.The Moscow flag was flown at half-staff, with a black border around the border. A New York Times reporter called to report that people kept telling each other: "We lost a friend!" In Washington, large crowds gathered around the White House.Dean Acheson, who was working in the government building next door, later wrote in his memoirs: "There is really nothing to see. I believe they did not intend to see anything. They just stood silently, as if they had lost something." In Berlin , the Russian shells have landed and blossomed outside the underground Fuehrer's residence, and Goebbels is still chattering: "My Fuehrer, I congratulate you! Roosevelt is dead. The astrology shows: In the second half of April, we will turn around. Today It's Friday, April 13th. The turning point has come!" Hitler also believed it.However, Tokyo Broadcasting Station’s broadcast was unexpected. It quoted Prime Minister Suzuki Kantaro as saying: “I have to admit that Roosevelt was indeed a good leader. It is an understandable loss to the American people, and I sympathize with it." The announcer then went on to say, "In honor of the passing of this great man, we are now playing a special few minutes of music." As for the unknown people, they express their condolences in their unique way.In San Diego, a man named Petros Pluto Papadakis applied to the court to change his name to Petros Roosevelt Pluto Papadakis.The Fire Department of New York issued "four to five long beeps" to its fire stations, which is a signal of the fire brigade's mourning for the members who died in the line of duty.A boy in Chicago picked a bouquet from his back garden and sent it with a note saying he regretted not being able to attend the funeral.The students of Groton Middle School learned the news of the death of the president of the 1900 graduates of the school before dinner, and led by the principal without eating, they marched into the school church to pray.Bells were rung at St James Episcopal Church in the village of Hyde Park in memory of their elderly rector. The New York Post expresses its condolences in a simple and solemn way, and if the president is alive, it will be deeply moved.The newspaper just published a message at the head of the daily casualty column: WASHINGTON, April 16: The latest list of troop casualties and the names of their next of kin: Army-Navy killed Franklin de Roosevelt, commander in chief.Wife: Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, address: White House. The editor of the American Army's Yankee Weekly wrote: "We have said Roosevelt's wisecracks, we have had fun with Roosevelt...but he was Roosevelt after all, the man who led our generation...he was not only The Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and the Commander-in-Chief of our generation!" Said an elderly Negro in Georgia, "He made a way for us just when we were cornered." Many people who never met Roosevelt They all said to the writer John Nemuro: "I have never met him, but I feel as if I have lost a dear friend." As for Nemuro himself, he also had difficulty understanding such a universally mourned event at first. "It seems unbelievable that he died. He believed in the goodness of man, he devoted himself to improving the condition of the poor and lowly everywhere, he had lofty ideals, great talent, trust in the people, and an incomparable ability to inspire them to the best of their abilities. ——Now all of this is a thing of the past, which is really unacceptable for a while." Congressman Lyndon Johnson talked about Roosevelt on Capitol Hill, really crying: "He has always been like a father to me. He's the only man I've ever known who's not afraid, anywhere. God, God—how he's got all of our burdens on his shoulders!" Of course, there are also many Americans who don't think of him as a wartime hero, don't feel like losing a close friend, and certainly don't feel that he is like a biological father.The emotions of these people are often mixed with sorrow and joy."Now we've got to make up our own minds," said one who had fought so hard against him. Some, however, were glad to be able to make up their own minds in the future.当有关总统的第一则急电传出来的时候，有个著名华尔街律师的妻子，在公园大道一家旅馆的电梯里听到这个消息，神经质地把一只手套捏来捏去，急不可待地想从收音机里听听消息。突然，后面有一个男人大声说：“咳，他总算是死了!可不是也到了该死的时候了!”这位妇女转过身来，用手套打了那个人一个嘴巴。 有些人感到罗斯福将永远是他们的总统。塞缪尔·格拉夫顿的悼辞，也许最能反映他们的感情。他说，“人们想到他，就觉得他好像是一个笑容可掬的司机，烟嘴翘在嘴里，每次急转弯时都听到后面惊吵之声。他们老是对他说他这样装车不行。但他知道他装载的方式，在下一个转弯时不会出问题。他知道后面人什么时候是真的惊叫，什么时候只是故意吵嚷。但他对搭客们是有感情的。他不在人间了，汽车也停了下来，离开天堂之门还很远。现在乘客彼此争辩，相持不下：究竟下一个弯该怎么转法呢!” 杜鲁门的女儿玛格丽特那时正在康涅狄格大道4701号二楼五间一套的房间里，换衣服准备赴宴。The phone rings.她听到父亲的声音，据她后来回忆：“又紧张又特别。”但她想着当晚令人兴奋的晚会，却高兴地说，“嗨，爸爸您好!” “叫你妈妈来听电话!” “您回家吃晚饭么·” “叫你妈妈来听电话!” “我只不过说句客气话嘛!” “玛格丽特，请你叫妈妈来听电话，好不好·” 她很委屈，眼睛湿润，回到化妆台前。几秒钟以后，她抬起头来，见妈妈站在门口望着她——或者说，从玛格丽特看来，好像妈妈视而不见，只是朝她这个方向望过来。 “妈妈，怎么啦，出了什么事·” 贝丝·杜鲁门回答得很慢：“罗斯福总统去世了!” “死了·” 贝丝给一位朋友去电话，这时门铃响了。玛格丽特去开门。一位素未谋面的女人站在门外。 “杜鲁门小姐么·” “是的，什么事呢·” “我是美联社的，我想……” 玛格丽特这才发现她只是穿着衬裙来开门的，窘得要命，砰的一声把门关起来。那时，她意识到今后再不能过清静的日子了!她从窗子下望，见下面聚集着一群人——新闻记者、摄影记者、朋友、好奇围观的人等。这个大厦的经理还发现，原来这套就要空出来的公寓房间，宽敞宜人、交通方便，每月120元租金，而且冻结不能再涨价，现在上门求租的已不乏人! 罗斯福夫人的专机在本宁堡跑道上空盘旋，准备着陆。与此同时，比尔·哈西特则在亚特兰大市那间帕特森殡仪馆商购棺木。哈西特要一副黄铜衬里的结实红木棺材，但那里没有。黄铜是军用物资。哈西特又提出棺木要六英尺四英寸长，因为罗斯福原来个子较大。但这看来也不好找。殡仪馆老板本来有个较长的红木棺材，但已答应卖给新泽西州一家殡仪馆。于是他们扯来扯去，争执不下。最后这位来自佛蒙特州的哈西特，由于精明机敏，又有总统的威望作后盾，把这所殡仪馆里最好的棺木买了回来。上午10时45分，这副棺木随同两部灵车，到达温泉。40分钟以后，埃莉诺·罗斯福、麦金太尔医生和史蒂夫·厄尔利也乘车赶到。 罗斯福夫人同格雷斯·塔利以及在场的表亲都进行了长谈。不知道是谁把露西·拉瑟弗福当时也在温泉的事告诉了她，但是就是在这个最不适当的时刻，她才获知这事的。她显然不能自已，全身颤抖，然后镇定下来走进寝室。五分钟后，她出来了，面色庄严肃穆，但没有泪痕。这时该要计划殡葬事宜，拟定灵车的路线，确定丧礼仪式，选定牧师，确定要唱的圣诗，并按照国家仪节，确定谁该参加在白宫东厅举行的仪式，因为那里只有200个座位。这个问题是无先例可援的。在职总统的逝世，上一次是沃伦·哈丁，而国务院才刚发现有关他殡葬的档案已经遗失。这时只好一切仓促做出决定，而总统的未亡人则是其主要决策人。有关罗斯福丧事安排的文件，有一份存于国务院档案中。18年后，即1963年11月下旬，在为肯尼迪总统进行丧礼安排时，杰奎琳·布维尔·肯尼迪就曾取出参照使用。 在总统专用列车的最后一节车厢里，放上一座结实的佐治亚松木制成的灵台，上面铺着海军陆战队深绿色的军毯。棺中总统的遗体，下半身覆盖着他那海军斗篷。罗斯福夫人点首同意后，棺外覆盖上一面国旗。他们在星光如画的夜晚，在忍冬花花香阵阵之中忙碌了一个通宵。到了13日星期五上午9时25分，送葬行列才出发。装在炮架车上的灵柩，由本宁堡乐队敲着带减音装置的鼓为先导，从红泥道上慢步向火车站前进。在那逶迤的道路两旁，肃立着头戴钢盔的伞兵部队。他们当中许多人脸色苍白，有些则满脸泪痕，有一个士兵在炮车经过身前时，身子一晃，昏厥在地，滚进道边沟中。总统生前很欣赏的一位黑人手风琴手格雷厄姆·杰克逊，奏着乐曲。然后，士兵们把棺木抬上等候着的车厢，火车司机就利用车轨倾斜的坡度，静悄悄地让火车滑行出站。这是罗斯福总统专用列车第400次的旅程，也是最后的一次。专列最后两节的次序颠倒过来。罗斯福夫人坐在“费迪南德·麦哲伦”车厢里，现在是倒数第二节。而最后一节是总统以前用来办公的车厢，棺木安放在并不精致的柩架上。军人在两旁肃立守灵。各节车厢的窗帘大多寂然垂闭，但这节的帘子却是拉开的，在国旗覆盖着的棺木上面，亮着灯火，彻夜不灭，以供车外的人瞻仰。 铁路沿途露宿等候瞻仰灵柩的人，谁也不曾估计有多少。在亚特兰大，人们不准靠近，火车在第九号轨道隆隆前进时，两旁戴着白手套的士兵，举起上了刺刀的步枪肃立致敬。但是，对总统忠心耿耿的人还是来了，多少个街区，交通为之阻塞。车库、栈房、工厂、公寓各处屋顶上都站满了男男女女，居高眺望，一些私人飞机则在上空盘旋。那天下午离开亚特兰大以后，沿途每个交叉路口，都站着静默的人群。快到盖恩斯维尔时，在记者车厢上的梅里曼·史密斯喊道：“你们看!”原来一群头戴印花方巾的黑人女佃农，跪在一块棉田里，双手紧握，伸向火车志哀。 火车在南加卡罗来纳州的格林维尔市停下来加油，换了乘务员，新上车的司机又在机车前横挂上一面国旗。铁路两旁至少有五个区段，站满了密密麻麻的人群，睁着眼睛望着。突然，一队童子军唱起《前进、基督的战士》。梅里曼·史密斯后来回忆：“开始唱得有点参差不齐，然后唱的人多起来，歌声也渐趋洪亮。不一会，七八千人就高声齐唱，声如洪钟了。”火车续往北驰，夜幕徐临，埃莉诺·罗斯福后来写道：“我彻夜躺在铺上，窗帘拉开，瞭望着他过去热爱的田园，观察着那些在车站上甚至是交叉路口上聚集的人群的脸孔。他们都是彻夜不眠，特地来向他告别的……沿途不但在车站上而且在各个交叉路口都有人群，使我感到确实惊讶。我完全没有料到这一切，因为我一直没想过这个问题。”林肯总统去世时，米勒德·兰佩尔写过一首诗，她一向都很喜爱。现在，当她凝视着黑夜，小狗法拉伏在脚边，这四句就一再在她心里萦回不止： 凄寂的列车走在凄寂的轨道上 七节车厢漆黑发亮 缓慢、肃穆的列车 载着林肯返回家乡 星期六上午6时20分，火车经过弗吉尼亚州夏洛茨维尔市。曙光微明，又是明媚之春的一天。山茱萸遍布在森林里，像是一层淡红色的薄雾。杜鹃花和丁香花也到处盛放。不到四个小时之后，杜鲁门总统来迎接火车，于是护送遗体的队伍，沿着德拉华大道直行，然后转向西面宪法大街。罗斯福生前曾多次沿着这条路线去白宫，每次都是笑容满面，向着欢呼着的人群挥动他竞选时那顶旧呢帽。今天这里也有人群，而且人空前的多，但是寂静沉默，异乎寻常，只有24架“解放”式轰炸机从上空飞过时才把这静默打破。 这样全副武装的行列，在首都还从来未见过。头戴钢盔的士兵在两旁行人道上整队肃立，一队警察坐着闪闪发亮的摩托车导引着队伍缓慢行进。海军和海军陆战队的乐队奏着肖邦的《丧礼进行曲》、《前进，基督的战士》和圣乐《撒尔》圣乐《撒尔》是著名音乐家汉德尔的长篇作品。——译者中的《哀乐》。然后是一营海军军官学校学员的队列。还有坦克队伍，运兵车队，载着步兵的卡车，陆军妇女服务队，海军妇女志愿紧急服务队，海岸警备队妇女后备队。“解放”式轰炸机又在上空出现，然后，覆垂着黑丝绒、载着棺木的炮车突然出现在眼前。它由六匹白马前引，车后还有一匹乘马。马的眼睛都戴上眼罩，马蹬倒悬，指挥刀和马靴从马蹬倒垂挂着：这是阵亡战士的象征，自从成吉思汗以来，就有这样的传统。阿瑟·戈弗雷用无线电向全国进行实况广播。炮车经过时，他抑制不住，泣不成声。伯纳德·阿斯贝尔写道：“这样突然，它悄悄地到了你的面前。看上去那么小，只是一部轮子很大的车子，把那覆盖着国旗的长形的棺木，徐徐地拖过来。不知怎的，人们总想像它应是庞然巨物，但完全不是。它很小，像一般人的灵柩一样。” 队伍向右转入第15街，又向左转上宾夕法尼亚大道，经过一群哭声阵阵的妇女——“啊，他离开我们了。永远离开我们了!我是多么热爱他呀!但是，我永远再见不到他了!”“上帝啊，他离开我们了，永远、永远、永远见不到他了。”然后队伍进入白宫的西北门，来到北面门廊。海军乐队奏起了美国国歌，一位很矫健的人侧身离开队伍，走进总统办公室，那就是杜鲁门，已经开始视事。但几乎没有人注意到他。人们的眼睛都盯着门口，看仪仗队抬进灵柩，走向白宫东厅，后面跟着总统的未亡人。 那也许是战争开始以来最静穆的一个星期六下午。全国各地的百货公司都挂上了黑布。伯纳和贝利兄弟马戏团把日场取消。电影院停止营业，光在纽约就有700家。报纸那天不登广告，很快就已付印。甚至食品杂货店从2时到5时都关门停业。下午4时，丧仪在东厅开始，这时整个美国简直停息下来了。美联社、合众社、国际新闻社的电传打字机缓慢地发出：“肃静”字样。公共汽车和汽车都就地在路旁停驶。电车静止不动。空中的飞机只是盘旋，着了陆的在跑道上就地停下来，也并不驶向停机坪。无线电默然无声，电话服务也停了，连拨号声也听不见。在纽约市地下，505辆地铁火车就地停驶。到处都可以看到男人脱帽，妇女跪下来。一时全美国都肃静下来，就像在总统府邸东厅内参加仪式的200人一样。 东厅四面都摆满百合花，足有十英尺高，使墙壁都遮盖不见，芬香扑鼻。杜鲁门总统进来时，人们忘记了起立。礼仪上这点疏忽，谁都没有注意到，连杜鲁门自己也没觉察。除此之外，一切进行顺利。罗斯福用过的轮椅，就放在临时祭坛的旁边，使人们看见就联想起他克服困难的一生。接着，罗斯福夫人建议来宾齐唱海军赞美诗(“永恒的上帝呀，你是拯救我们的……”)。然后主教派教会主教安格斯·邓恩致悼词，并引用罗斯福本人演说词中常说的一句话：“我们没有什么可怕的，惟一可怕的只是惧怕本身。”仪式完毕，主教为大家祝福时，已是下午4时23分。罗斯福夫人首先退场，接着在楼上总统住家里和女儿安娜吵起来。总统夫人不在城里时，她的女儿曾临时充当过女主人。后来总统问她是否可以邀请一位老朋友——露西·拉瑟弗福——参加晚宴，安娜知道个中的含意，不禁迟疑，但还是同意了。这时埃莉诺觉得两个人都对她不起。但她随后镇静下来，擦干眼泪，又下楼到东厅里向遗体作最后告别。一个军官把棺盖打开，她把一束花放在里面，于是灵柩就从此封盖起来。 有两列火车在联邦车站等候，准备把乘客运往海德公园。第一列车将乘载罗斯福一家、杜鲁门一家、最高法院、内阁阁员和罗斯福的生前友好。第二列车将乘载国会议员、外交官和新闻界。9时30分，送丧行列又按早上走过的路线开回去。两旁军队肃立，行人道上的送丧的群众鸦雀无声。但是政界总是政界，火车一离开华盛顿，他们便谈起政治来。在“费迪南德·麦哲伦”专用车厢里，哈里·杜鲁门正在认真地同吉米·贝尔纳斯谈话，打量这人能否担任下任国务卿，因为贝尔纳斯参加了雅尔塔会议，对那里签订的协议了解的最为具体。哈罗德·伊克斯在车厢里声音最响，一面嘲笑杜鲁门，一面又和妻子吵嘴。华莱士独自坐着，面色严峻、表情阴郁。摩根索在星期三晚上还在温泉见过罗斯福。他说那时总统在斟酒时，手虽然比平常抖得稍微厉害一些，但和往常一样，还是那么机敏、消息灵通。霍普金斯对大家说，新总统绝不是五个月前“信手拈来的”，罗斯福对他的工作早已观察了一个时期，见他对所负责的委员会领导有方，颇具人望，在参院里又享有威信，而将来的和约是要送参院批准的，所以才要他作为副总统候选人。 到了布朗克斯，他们又停了下来。当他们在离开莫特港口调车场时，第二列车就调到前面，总统的列车则调往后面。这个变动立即用电报通知哈得孙河沿岸等候着向总统志哀的纽约市民。黎明时，《纽约人》的“街谈巷议”栏一名记者，驱车到西点军校对岸纽约州的加里森村车站。他问铁路岔口的看守人总统的车什么时候经过。“到这里是7时半到8时”，那人回答说，“第一列车是国会议员，然后，大概15分钟后，总统专列就该通过这里!”人群已开始聚拢。其中有个男人带着一个直打哆嗦的小男孩：“你要把今天看到的一切，都好好记在心上，”父亲说。“天气真冷得很呀!”儿子回答说。 过了一会，又开来了二三十部汽车，从福特A型到1942年卡迪拉克都有。车里的人与其说是心里哀伤，不如说是感情激动。这位记者突然意识到，这样可能更恰当一些。“也许罗斯福离开人间时，情愿人们震动一下，好过哭哭啼啼的。”这些人一边等，一边议论(“星期五那天，我不敢告诉贝尔登夫人。这消息对她打击也许太大。”“上帝要是使他活到把德国打败那才好呢!”“要是大家都在火车站上站在一起，对他表露的敬意就更大一些”)。一批格伦克列夫寺院的长须教士也到了，穿着褐色法衣和僧鞋，排成一列，差不多和军队一样整齐。一位妇女紧张不安地说：“我看不见他就糟透了。”一个男人要她放心：“他们看见我们，车子会放慢的!” 车子果然慢了下来。第一列过了以后，第二列车的机车慢慢进入车站，后面飘着一缕白烟。男人脱帽，就像80年前林肯的灵柩通过这里时一样。一个穿着红蓝条格短上衣的当地青年喊了一声，于是，他们都转眼清楚地看见那国旗覆盖着的灵柩以及守灵的仪仗队。 “我看见他了!”一个小女孩喊道，“我看见他，可真清楚呀!” “不，你看不见他的”她的母亲不知该怎么说才好，“他是睡在美国国旗下面的!”但是那个小孩却一再说：“我看见他了!” 人群散得很慢，似乎拿不定主意下一步该干什么。当那位父亲和冷得发抖的儿子离开时，男孩说：“我全看见了。”那个人说：“那就好了!要把看到的一切永远记在心头!” 马霍帕克、冷泉、霍普韦尔中转站、沃宾格尔瀑布、波基普西、阿林顿、欢乐谷——这些罗斯福本来愈走近愈熟悉的地名——一个接着一个走过了。星期日早上8时40分，机车在罗斯福庄园旁转入海德公园专用侧轨。机车一停，礼炮就鸣放。15秒钟后，又是第二响，接着第三、第四响，直到21响礼炮鸣放完毕。然后，由西点军校的乐队为前导，领着载着灵柩的炮车和骑乘蜿蜒而上，沿着坡度较大的土路走上去。1870年詹姆士·罗斯福开了这一条路，而他的儿子富兰克林老爱称之为“河边路”。那时那个小孩就是在这个河边，学会了游泳、划船。又在那阳光灿烂的高地上学会了骑马。而这时，一匹驮着空鞍，马具倒悬的马，正在缓步踏上河岸高地。 罗斯福庄园是在山顶。在那玫瑰园里，十英尺高的藩篱后面，已经挖好了一穴新坟。准备就在这里举行简短的仪式，他的亲属、高级官员、生前友好和邻居们都被护送到他的墓地上来。一队军校学员举枪致敬，六位战士把灵柩抬进玫瑰园里。罗斯福夫人跟在灵柩后面。在绿叶织成的棚架上出现了一个十字架，海德公园村主教派教会的牧师走来为吊唁的人领祷。玛格丽特·杜鲁门那晚在她的日记中写道：“仪式简单，而非常感人。”当棺木慢慢降入墓穴时，牧师举起手，结束说： 劳累的一生已经终止； 战斗的时日已成往事； 生命的航船靠拢彼岸， 航海的人终于上岸永息。 靠上帝您的仁慈托庇， 我们在此和您的仆人告别! 一架飞机在天空孤寂地盘旋。军校学员整齐地跨上一步，向天空鸣枪三响，把小狗法拉吓得汪汪大叫，打了个滚，缩作一团。在号手吹起入息号时，小狗还在发抖，惊慌万状，不知所措。 埃莉诺·罗斯福迟缓地离开墓地。回到纽约，她在黑色丧服上戴上当年富兰克林送给她作为结婚礼物的珍珠镶成的鸢尾花形别针。她只用几个字把围拢着她的记者打发开去：“一切都已成过去。”