:49:00
Douglas, Admiral Nimitz's victories
have been no less than your own.
:49:05
Franklin, all the years
we've known each other,
:49:08
I don't believe I told you how
my father won his Medal of Honor.
:49:12
No, you never did. But you're
about to do it now, aren't you?
:49:17
It was during the Battle
of Missionary Ridge.
:49:20
At the height of the fighting,
he saw the flag go down.
:49:23
As others around him faltered,
he seized up the colors...
:49:25
and rallied
the troops to victory.
:49:30
Admiral Nimitz is one
of our greatest admirals.
:49:33
But just now,
as I listened to the plan,
:49:37
I thought I saw our flag
going down.
:49:40
Oh, did you?
:49:42
Mr. President,
had we the will to do so,
:49:45
we could have saved Bataan and
Corregidor in the first place!
:49:49
To sacrifice Luzon a second time
cannot be condoned or forgiven.
:49:52
My dear General,
:49:54
bypassing Luzon is not
synonymous with sacrificing...
:49:57
But bypassing Luzon has implications
which stain American honor.
:50:02
Do you realize what the Japanese propagandists are
telling the Filipino people?
:50:06
That Americans will never
shed their blood...
:50:08
to save the colored peoples
of the earth!
:50:10
Your zeal is understandable.
I admire it.
:50:13
But we can't
let it interfere...
:50:16
with a workable
Pacific strategy.
:50:24
"I give to the Philippines
my solemn pledge...
:50:27
"that their freedom
will be redeemed.
:50:30
"Entire resources of men and material
of the United States...
:50:34
stand behind that pledge. "
:50:37
Your words, sir.
:50:43
Mr. President,
:50:45
General MacArthur's points
are well taken,
:50:47
and I'm sure that the Joint Chiefs will
wish to consider them very carefully.
:50:52
I shall return.
:50:54
I am going back there next fall
if I have to paddle a canoe.
:50:57
If your decision be to bypass Luzon with
its millions of people,