[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George W. Bush (2005, Book II)]
[August 30, 2005]
[Pages 1373-1378]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks on the 60th Anniversary of V-J Day in San Diego, California
August 30, 2005

    Thank you all. Thanks for the warm welcome. It's good to be back in 
California; good to be here at North Island. This is the birthplace of 
naval aviation, and I want to thank you for making this son of a naval 
aviator feel right at home.
    This morning our hearts and prayers are with our fellow citizens 
along the gulf coast who have suffered so much from Hurricane Katrina. 
These are trying times for the people of these communities. We know that 
many are anxious to return to their homes. It's not possible at this 
moment. Right now our priority is on saving lives, and we are still in 
the midst of search and rescue operations. I urge everyone in the 
affected areas to continue to follow instructions from State and local 
authorities.
    The Federal, State, and local governments are working side by side 
to do all we can to help people get back on their feet, and we have got 
a lot of work to do. Our teams and equipment are in place, and we're 
beginning to move in the help that people need. Americans who wish to 
help can call 1-800-HELP-NOW, or log on to redcross.org, or get in touch 
with the Salvation Army. The good folks in Louisiana and Mississippi and 
Alabama and other affected areas are going to need the help and 
compassion and prayers of our fellow citizens.
    As we deliver relief to our citizens to the south, our troops are 
defending all our citizens from threats abroad. In the war on terror, 
all of you gathered here today are playing a critical role. Our naval 
aviators are displaying their fantastic skill in bringing justice to our 
enemies. Our sailors on Navy ships are patrolling the high seas. You're 
maintaining those ships and keeping them ready for battle. You're 
serving on special operations teams that are hunting the Taliban and Al 
Qaida fighters in the mountains of Afghanistan. And our Marine units are 
bringing our terrorists to justice in Iraq. However you are serving, 
each of you is defending our Nation and bringing honor to the uniform, 
and your Commander in Chief and your country is proud of your service.
    I'm also proud to stand with those whose achievements we commemorate 
today, the military veterans of World War II. In war, America called you 
from your farms and your schools and your factories to defeat two of the 
most ruthless armies the world has known. In victory, America counted on 
you to extend a helping hand, to lift up a defeated foe. And in a 
lasting peace that has been your greatest legacy, America confirmed the 
power of freedom to transform the bitterest of enemies into the closest 
of friends.
    Your victory came at great cost, and many of the heroes who fought 
by your side would not live to make the return journey home. More than 
400,000 Americans gave their lives in that war, and some of them are 
buried a few miles from here at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. At a 
funeral sermon delivered after a battle that had taken the lives of 
thousands of Americans, a rabbi said, ``Out of this, and from this 
suffering and sorrow of those who mourn this, will come, we promise, the 
birth of a new freedom for the sons of men everywhere.''
    Today, your hair is whitened. Your steps have slowed. Yet you have 
seen, in your lifetime, the rabbi's promise come true. The freedom that 
was born of your sacrifice has lifted millions of God's children across 
the Earth. This freedom is your monument to your fallen friends, your 
gift to their children and grandchildren, and your sacred bond with 
generations of patriots past and present who have worn the Nation's 
uniform.

[[Page 1374]]

    As we look into your faces, we see the same quiet resolve that 
defeated our enemies, and we count it a privilege to be the citizens of 
the country that you served. We pray that your comrades you have lost 
found peace with their Creator, and we honor your sacrifice by 
recommitting ourselves to the great ideals for which you fought and 
bled.
    I'm honored today to be traveling with the First Lady of the United 
States, Laura Bush. I want to thank Admiral 
Zortman, the commander of the Naval Air 
Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, for his introduction. And thank you for your 
service, Admiral.
    I'm proud to be here today with a man who is doing an excellent job 
for the United States military, the Secretary of Defense, Donald 
Rumsfeld. On V-J Day in 1945, Secretary 
Rumsfeld was selling newspapers at the Coronado Ferry, Coronado, 
California. He went on to be a Navy pilot. And today, he's a trusted 
adviser in my Cabinet. Mr. Secretary, proud to have you here.
    I want to thank the chairman of the Armed Services Committee, Duncan 
Hunter. Congressman Hunter is with us 
today. Congressman Duncan Hunter is, today, here with his dad, Robert 
Hunter, who served in World War II. And he has 
a son who is a proud marine in Iraq.
    I want to thank Secretary Tom Johnson of 
the California Department of Veteran Affairs. I want to thank Mayor Tom 
Smisek and his wife, Peggy. He's the mayor of Coronado. I appreciate you, Mr. 
Mayor.
    I want to thank Vice Admiral Barry Costello, Rear Admiral Mike Miller, 
Rear Admiral Len Hering, Captain 
Tim Alexander. I want to thank 
Command Master Chief Mick Fulton, 
Chief Petty Officer Swisher. I want to thank 
all the men and women who wear the uniform for greeting us today.
    We're proud to be in the company of Medal of Honor recipients Robert 
Modrzejewski, Jay Vargas, Red Millett, John Finn, John 
McGinty. Thank you for coming. Thank 
you for your courage.
    Finally, I want to thank Sybil Stockdale, the wife of Admiral James Stockdale, for being with us today.
    Sixty years ago this Friday, General Douglas MacArthur accepted the 
Japanese surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay. With Japan's 
surrender, the last of our enemies in World War II was defeated, and a 
world war that began for America in the Pacific came to an end in the 
Pacific.
    As we mark this anniversary, we are again a nation at war. Once 
again, war came to our shores with a surprise attack that killed 
thousands in cold blood. Once again, we face determined enemies who 
follow a ruthless ideology that despises everything America stands for. 
Once again, America and our allies are waging a global campaign with 
forces deployed on virtually every continent. And once again, we will 
not rest until victory is America's and our freedom is secure.
    In the midst of this struggle, we have confidence in our cause 
because we know that America has faced down brutal enemies before. We 
have confidence in our cause because we've seen the power of freedom to 
overcome the darkness of tyranny and terror. And we have confidence in 
our cause because we know the character and courage of those who wear 
the uniform of the United States military.
    Fifty years ago, we saw that character and that courage in men such 
as Leon Stone, who was a young Navy sailor aboard 
the battleship West Virginia, supporting the marines at Iwo Jima. We saw 
that courage in men such as Jim Simpson, who was 
one of those marines. They didn't know each other, but they came 
together to fight for America's security. They came together to join a 
mighty force that defeated the Japanese empire. Jim Simpson and Leon 
Stone did finally meet one day when Leon's son and Jim's daughter got 
married.

[[Page 1375]]

    And today, their grandson, Captain Randy Stone, carries on a proud family tradition. Captain Stone is a 
marine officer now serving in Iraq. He knows that he and his generation 
are doing the same vital work in this war on terror that his 
grandparents did in World War II. He also knows how this struggle will 
end. Randy says, ``I know we will win, because I see it in the eyes of 
the marines every morning. In their eyes is the sparkle of victory.''
    Captain Stone proudly wears the uniform just 
as his grandfathers did 
at Iwo Jima. He's guided by the same convictions they carried into 
battle. He shares the same willingness to serve a cause greater than 
himself. Many of you grew up with dads and granddads who have similar 
stories about their World War II service. They're the modest sons of a 
peaceful country. And a grateful nation thanks them for their sacrifice 
that preserved our freedom and our way of life.
    The men and women who served in World War II belonged to a 
generation that kept its faith even when liberty's ultimate triumph was 
far from clear. When America was attacked at Pearl Harbor, our country 
was just emerging from a depression. More than half a dozen nations had 
larger armies than we did. In Asia and Europe, country after country had 
fallen before the disciplined armies of the militaristic regimes. These 
events led many to conclude that freedom had seen its day and that the 
future belonged to the hard men in Berlin and Tokyo.
    Franklin Roosevelt refused to accept that democracy was finished. 
His optimism reflected his belief that the enemy's will to power could 
not withstand our will to live in freedom. He told the American people 
that our liberty depended on the success of liberty in other lands. And 
he called on Americans to defend that liberty, and millions answered the 
call. Within 4 years, America would recover from the devastation of 
Pearl Harbor. Within 4 years, we would fight and win a world war on two 
fronts.
    Our victory in Asia was a particular triumph for the United States 
Navy. After Pearl Harbor, our Pacific Fleet was nearly destroyed, and 
the enemy appeared invincible. Those were dark days for freedom, but the 
darkness would not long prevail. From the daring first attack on 
Japanese soil led by Jimmy Doolittle and launched from the deck of the 
USS Hornet, to the Battle of Midway, to the flag-raising of Iwo Jima, 
our troops in the Pacific gave Americans back home reason to believe 
that President Roosevelt was right, that democracy was the most 
unconquerable of all forms of human society.
    President Roosevelt was guided in victory in World War II by certain 
timeless principles. First, President Roosevelt believed that free 
nations could muster the resolve to defend themselves. In his day, that 
belief was sorely tested by a ruthless and determined enemy. Our troops 
in the Pacific found themselves up against a ferocity they had never 
before encountered--kamikaze pilots on suicidal missions, soldiers who 
fought to the last man, commanders animated by a fanatical belief that 
their nation was ordained to rule the Asian Continent. This enemy took 
many lives and left many grieving families. Yet in the end, they were no 
match for the forces of the United States and our allies. In the end, 
they were defeated by Americans who only months before had been farmers 
and bank clerks and factory hands. And in the end, the victorious 
children of democracy would help their defeated enemies rebuild and 
bring the taste of freedom to millions.
    One of the first to recognize this truth was a member of Japan's 
surrender delegation aboard the USS Missouri. He went to the ceremony 
expecting to hear how the allies intended to take their vengeance on the 
defeated. Instead he heard General MacArthur speak about a future of 
freedom for Japan, and he realized the true source of America's military 
might. He wrote: ``We

[[Page 1376]]

weren't beaten on the battlefield by the dint of superior arms; we were 
defeated in the spiritual conquest by virtue of a nobler idea.'' In 
World War II, wherever our troops raised the flag of victory, they would 
also sow the seeds of liberty, and as a result, the world is better off.
    Secondly, President Roosevelt believed that the call to freedom is 
universal. Many of our closest allies did not agree with him about this, 
and the political map of Asia seemed to confirm their skepticism. At the 
beginning of the war, the Pacific had only two democracies: Australia 
and New Zealand. Even in nations where the rule was not harsh, the best 
that most Asian people could expect was benevolent colonialism. The 
Japanese claimed they were ridding the continent of foreign colonialism. 
But millions of Chinese and Burmese and other Asian people soon learned 
that Tokyo had simply replaced Western colonialism with a version that 
was often more harsh and repressive.
    President Roosevelt, and later President Truman, wisely resolved 
that we would not make that mistake in our treatment of a defeated 
Japan. They understood that the sacrifices of Allied forces would mean 
nothing unless we used our victory to help the Japanese people transform 
their nation from tyranny to freedom. There were many doubters. American 
and Japanese experts claimed that the Japanese weren't ready for 
democracy.
    In a letter to a friend back home, one of our soldiers on the ground 
offered a different view. Sergeant Richard Leonard's brother had been 
killed in fighting the Japanese, but after being stationed in Japan and 
meeting Japanese people, he found he could not hate them. He wrote: 
``Sure, we've got to occupy their country and watch them, but at the 
same time, we've got to help them and do everything possible to 
reconstruct them as a peace-loving nation.'' Sergeant Leonard was right. 
And America did just what he thought we should do. And as we look at 
what he and his generation accomplished in Japan, we know it is a 
mistake to believe that some people are not fit for equality and freedom 
our Creator intended for all.
    Third, President Roosevelt believed that free nations are peaceful 
nations that would not threaten America. He knew that it was the lack of 
democracy in Japan that allowed an unelected group of militarists to 
take control of the state, threaten their neighbors, attack America, and 
plunge an entire region into war. And he knew that the best way to bring 
peace and stability to the region was by bringing freedom to Japan.
    Democracy takes different forms in different cultures. Japanese 
democracy would be different from American democracy. The Japanese 
constitution would guarantee the universal freedoms that are the 
foundation of all genuine democracies, while, at the same time, 
reflecting the unique traditions and needs of the Japanese people. It 
allowed for both an electoral democracy and a heredity monarchy. It set 
Japan on the path to a free society.
    With every step toward freedom, the Japanese economy flourished. 
With every step toward freedom, the Japanese became a model for others 
in the region. With every step toward freedom, the Japanese became a 
valued member of the world community, a force for peace and stability in 
the region, and a trusted and reliable ally of the United States of 
America.
    I've experienced this transformation in a very personal way. During 
World War II, my dad was one of the Navy's 
youngest pilots and was shot down over the Pacific. At the same time, an 
official named Junya Koizumi served in Japan's legislative assembly. 
Today, their sons serve as the elected leaders of two free nations. 
Prime Minister Koizumi is a respected 
leader and one of my best friends in the international community. Our 
two democracies are among the world's closest allies. And all Americans 
are safer and more secure because the Japanese people are free.

[[Page 1377]]

    Today, we must not forget the lessons of the past, and the lesson of 
this experience is clear: The most powerful weapon in the arsenal of 
democracy is the spirit of liberty. In the 20th century, the spirit of 
liberty worked to spread freedom from Japan and Germany to Eastern 
Europe and Latin America and Southeast Asia and Africa. And the spirit 
of liberty is at work today. Across the broader Middle East, we can see 
freedom's power to transform nations and deliver hope to people who have 
not known it. In Afghanistan and Iraq and Lebanon and the Palestinian 
Territories, people have gone to the polls and chosen their leaders in 
free elections. Their example is inspiring millions across that region 
to claim their liberty as well, and they will have it.
    In Iraq, people have come together to write a constitution that 
guarantees freedom for all Iraqi citizens. The document they have 
produced protects fundamental human freedoms, including freedom for 
women, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly, freedom of conscience, 
and freedom of expression. This constitution is the result of democratic 
debate and compromise, and the Iraqi citizens can be proud of what they 
have accomplished.
    As freedom advances across a troubled part of the world, it is once 
again opposed by fanatical adherence of a murderous ideology. And once 
again, the stakes are high. Now, as then, our enemies have made their 
fight a test of American credibility and resolve. Now, as then, they are 
trying to intimidate free people and break our will. And now, as then, 
they will fail.
    They will fail because the terrorists of our century are making the 
same mistake that the followers of other totalitarian ideologies made in 
the last century. They believe that democracies are inherently weak and 
corrupt and can be brought to their knees. They looked at our response 
after the hostage crisis in Iran, the bombings of the Marine barracks in 
Lebanon, the first World Trade Center attack, the killing of American 
soldiers in Somalia, the destruction of two U.S. embassies in Africa, 
and the attack on the USS Cole. They concluded that free societies lack 
the courage and character to defend themselves against a determined 
enemy. Here are the words of Usama bin Laden 
that explain why he believed he could get away with the attacks of 
September the 11th, 2001: ``We've seen in the last decade the decline of 
the American Government and the weakness of the American soldier, who is 
ready to wage cold wars and unprepared to fight long wars . . . After a 
few blows they ran in defeat . . . [They forgot] about being the world 
leader . . .'' End quote.
    After September the 11th, 2001, we've taught the terrorists a very 
different lesson. America will not run in defeat, and we will not forget 
our responsibilities. We have brought down two murderous regimes. We're 
driving terrorists from their sanctuaries. We're putting the terrorists 
on the run all across the world.
    The terrorists and insurgents are now waging a brutal campaign of 
terror in Iraq. They kill innocent men and women and children in the 
hopes of intimidating Iraqis. They're trying to scare them away from 
democracy. They're trying to break the will of the American people. 
Their goal is to turn Iraq into a failed state, like Afghanistan was 
under the Taliban. If Zarqawi and bin 
Laden gain control of Iraq, they would 
create a new training ground for future terrorist attacks. They'd seize 
oil fields to fund their ambitions. They could recruit more terrorists 
by claiming an historic victory over the United States and our 
coalition.
    Our goal is clear as well. We will defeat the terrorists. We'll 
build a free Iraq that will fight terrorists instead of giving them aid 
and sanctuary. A free Iraq will offer people throughout the Middle East 
a hopeful alternative to the hateful ideology being peddled by the 
terrorists. A free Iraq will show that when America gives its word, 
America keeps its word.

[[Page 1378]]

    That choice--this is the choice we face: Do we return to the pre-
September the 11th mindset of isolation and retreat, or do we continue 
to take the fight to the enemy and support our allies in the broader 
Middle East? I've made my decision. We will stay on the offensive. We 
will stand with the people of Iraq, and we will prevail.
    We will prevail because this generation is determined to meet the 
threats of our time. We will prevail because this generation wants to 
leave a more hopeful world for our children and grandchildren. We will 
prevail because the desire to live in freedom is embedded in the soul of 
every man, woman, and child on this Earth. And we will prevail because 
our freedom is defended by the greatest force for liberation that 
humankind has ever known, the men and women of the United States Armed 
Forces.
    In this war, some of our best citizens have made the ultimate 
sacrifice. We mourn the loss of every life. We pray for their loved 
ones. And we will honor their sacrifice by completing the mission and 
laying the foundation for peace.
    Sixty years ago, American forces made the same type of sacrifice and 
helped liberate two continents and made our world a more peaceful place. 
The men and women of World War II brought honor to the uniform and to 
our flag and to our country. With each passing day, their ranks thin, 
but the peace they built endures. And we will never let the new enemies 
of a new century destroy with cowardice what these Americans built with 
courage.
    Sixty years after V-J Day, our military veterans can take heart from 
the example they see right here in San Diego. Those of you who wear the 
Nation's uniform today are every bit as selfless and dedicated to 
liberty as the generations that came before. And when we will look at 
you, we know our freedom is in good hands.
    It is men and women like you who keep us free. It is the spirit of 
liberty that keeps you strong, and it is the history that gives us 
confidence to know that in the vital work of spreading liberty, America 
and those of us who love freedom will prevail.
    May God bless you all, and may God continue to bless America.

Note: The President spoke at 9:04 a.m. at Naval Air Station North 
Island. In his remarks, he referred to Vice Adm. James M. Zortman, USN, 
commander, Naval Air Forces and Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; 
Mayor Tom Smisek of Coronado, CA; Vice Adm. Barry M. Costello, USN, 
commander, Third Fleet; Rear Adm. Michael H. Miller, USN, commander, 
Carrier Strike Group Seven and USS Ronald Reagan Strike Group; Rear Adm. 
Leendert ``Len'' R. Hering, Sr., USN, commander, Navy Regional Northwest 
and Naval Surface Group, Pacific Northwest; Capt. Townsend ``Tim'' G. 
Alexander, USN, commanding officer, and Master Chief Michael ``Mick'' F. 
Fulton, USN, command master chief, Naval Base Coronado; Chief Petty 
Officer Chet Swisher, USN (Ret.), director, Veterans Memorial Center, 
San Diego, CA; Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan; Usama bin 
Laden, leader of the Al Qaida terrorist organization; and senior Al 
Qaida associate Abu Musab Al Zarqawi.