conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man All of you loved liberty. All of you were will ing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought --or felt in their hearts, though they couldn ' t know in fact, that in georgia they were filling the churches at 4: 00 am. In Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and pray ing. And in Philadelphia they were ringing the liberty Bell Something else helped the men of D-day their rock-hard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unf old here; that god was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Co lonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer, he told them: Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what were about to do. Also, that night General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise god made to Joshua: I will not fail thee nor forsake thee. These are the things that impelled them these are the things that sha ped the un of the allies hen the war was over, there were lives to be rebuilt and governments to be returned to the peo ple. There were nations to be reborn above all, there was a new peace to be assured. These were huge and daunting tasks. But the Allies summoned strength from the faith belief, loyalty and love of those who fell here. they rebuilt a new Europe together. there was first a great reconciliation among those who had been enemies, all of whom had suffered so greatly. The United States did its part, creating the Marshall Plan to help rebuild our allies and our former enemies. The Marshall Plan led to the atlantic a llia nce -a great al lia nce that serves to this day as our shield for freedom for prosperity and for peace In spite of our great efforts and successes, not all that followed the end of the war was happy or planned some liberated countries were lost. The great sadness of this loss echoes down to our own time in the streets of Warsaw, Prague, and East Berlin The soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They're still there, uninvited unwanted, uny ie ld ing almost forty years af ter the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today as forty years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose: to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we ho ld are memoria Is like this one and graveyards where our heroes restconquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt. You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One's country is worth dying for, and democracy is worth dying for, because it's the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man. All of you loved liberty. All of you were willing to fight tyranny, and you knew the people of your countries were behind you. The Americans who fought here that morning knew word of the invasion was spreading through the darkness back home. They fought -- or felt in their hearts, though they couldn't know in fact, that in Georgia they were filling the churches at 4:00 am. In Kansas they were kneeling on their porches and praying. And in Philadelphia they were ringing the Liberty Bell. Something else helped the men of D-day; their rock-hard belief that Providence would have a great hand in the events that would unfold here; that God was an ally in this great cause. And so, the night before the invasion, when Colonel Wolverton asked his parachute troops to kneel with him in prayer, he told them: "Do not bow your heads, but look up so you can see God and ask His blessing in what we're about to do." Also, that night, General Matthew Ridgway on his cot, listening in the darkness for the promise God made to Joshua: "I will not fail thee nor forsake thee." These are the things that impelled them; these are the things that shaped the unity of the Allies. When the war was over, there were lives to be rebuilt and governments to be returned to the people. There were nations to be reborn. Above all, there was a new peace to be assured. These were huge and daunting tasks. But the Allies summoned strength f rom the faith, belief , loyalty, and love of those who fell here. They rebuilt a new Europe together. There was first a great reconciliation among those who had been enemies, all of whom had suf fered so greatly. The United States did its part, creating the Marshall Plan to help rebuild our allies and our former enemies. The Marshall Plan led to the Atlantic alliance -- a great alliance that serves to this day as our shield for f reedom, for prosperity, and for peace. In spite of our great efforts and successes, not all tha t followed the end of the war was happy or planned. Some liberated countries were lost. The great sadness of this loss echoes down to our own time in the streets of Warsaw, Prague, and East Berlin. The Soviet troops that came to the center of this continent did not leave when peace came. They're still there, uninvited, unwanted, unyielding, almost forty years af ter the war. Because of this, allied forces still stand on this continent. Today, as forty years ago, our armies are here for only one purpose: to protect and defend democracy. The only territories we hold are memorials like this one and graveyards where our heroes rest