The Queen''s remarks on the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II
英国女王伊丽莎白二世纪念二战胜利60周年向全国人民发表讲话
The Queen marks the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II at a commemorative event on Horse Guards Parade, London, 10 July 2005
2005年7月10日，英国首都伦敦10日举行活动，隆重纪念二战胜利60周年。英国女王伊丽莎白二世在威斯敏斯特教堂前院的纪念馆向在二战中死亡的无辜人士敬献了鲜花。下午，英国女王和布莱尔首相等在市中心检阅了皇家骑兵卫队。随后，女王一如1945年二战在欧洲胜利结束时那样，在白金汉宫阳台上向全国人民发表讲话，她高度评价老兵在二战中为捍卫国家所承受的艰难困苦以及做出的不懈牺牲，并以全国人民的名义向老兵表达敬意。
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Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth:
The Second World War ended in Europe in May sixty years ago, but continued until September in the Pacific. Today we commemorate all those who lived, worked and fought through six long years of unremitting hardship and sacrifice.
We remember also the unswerving support of the people of the Commonwealth, the United States and of all our allies; it was the triumph of this great alliance that saved the world from tyranny.
Those years of sacrifice have not been in vain. The horror of that conflict inspired the creation of the United Nations, the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, and the European Union.
Sadly, we cannot claim that the world has been free from war - or terror - for the last sixty years, but in Europe at least we have been faithful to all those who lost their lives in that great struggle with a vigorous determination to build on what unites rather than divides us.
I am sure that this commemoration will encourage those who have lived through these post-war years of peace and prosperity to reflect on the debt they owe to our wartime generation.
It does not surprise me that, during the present, difficult days for London, people turn to the example set by that generation - of resilience, humour, sustained courage, often under conditions of great deprivation. That example and those memories should be kept alive by younger generations as they in their turn strive to keep the peace in our troubled world.
But there is another reason why we must never forget. An act of remembrance is an act of honour - to those who sacrificed all, who bore the sufferings of war, who had the wisdom to build the peace. It is a tribute to you the veterans and your loved ones.
At this special occasion I wish to express on behalf of the nation our admiration, our respect and our thanks to you for what you gave all those years ago in the cause of freedom and our way of life - which we shall continue to defend as you did.
