VOA常速英语:100 Years Since End of WWI, Fears That US Sacrifices in Europe Forgotten

Along the 700 kilometers of the former Western Front ceremonies mark 100 years since the end of a conflict that traumatized and transformed the world.U.S. involvement came late but proved vital in boosting Allied manpower and morale. On September 26th, 1918, the United States army launched the Argonne Offensive led by US General John Pershing,to this day the deadliest battle in US Army history.
沿着长达700公里的前西部前线，正在举行仪式纪念一战结束100周年，一战给世界带来了创伤，也改变了世界。美国介入得有些晚，但事实却证明对提升盟军的人力和士气至关重要。1918年9月26日，美国陆军发动了由约翰·潘兴将军领导的阿贡战役——美国陆军历史上最致命的战役。

Essentially the first few days, the gains were relatively good. Not as much good as General Pershing wanted, but they were relatively good.But then the Germans moved in more reinforcements. Gaulke conducts tours of the battlefields uncovering the scars and ruins of war that still litter the front lines, like this.German narrow gauge railroad station on the edge of Varennes-en-Argonne used to supply the vast network of trenches and artillery positions.The 47-day Argonne Offensive recaptured hundreds of square kilometers. As French and British divisions also advanced, Germany realized defeat was inevitable and signed the Armistice on November 11th, 1918.The guns fell silent.
实际上最初几天的收获还是相对不错的。不像潘兴将军原想的那么好，但相对来说还不错。但随后德军派出更多增援部队。戴高乐组织了一场场战役，留下了前线的满目疮痍，就像这样。地处于瓦雷纳边缘的德国窄轨铁路火车站曾经提供了巨大的战壕和炮兵阵地网络。为期47天的阿贡战役夺回了数百平方公里的土地。随着英法两师的不断推进，德国意识到失败已是必然，于1918年11月11日签署了停战协定。枪声趋于平息。

Varenne was among the first towns liberated in the Argonne Offensive captured by US troops.It is a place of pilgrimage for Americans visitors, including this group of re-enactors who have toured the battlefields to mark the centenary.
于瓦雷纳是美国军队在阿贡战役中解放的第一批城镇之一。对于美国游客来说，这是一个朝圣的地方，包括这群为了纪念百年而在战场上巡回演出的演员。

In the United States, the First World War is kind of overshadowed by the Second World War.
在美国，与二战相比，一战有点儿黯然失色。

I had relatives who came over quite literally with the ideal of... you know... making the world safe for democracy.I mean, they came with very high ideals. Over 116000 Americans were killed in the First World War.More than 14000 are buried at the Meuse-Argonne Americans Cemetery. WWI was the first time that the United States had deployed troops in these numbers to defend foreign soil.By the end of the war in 1918, there were some two million American soldiers on French soil.
我有一些亲戚，他们真的有...呃...捍卫世界安全与民主的理想。我的意思是，他们有崇高的理想。116000多美国人在一战中丧生。14000多人被安葬在美国大举公墓。一战是美国首次部署如此多的军队来保卫外国领土。1918年战争结束时，法国境内大约有200万美国士兵。

Despite its sacrifices America was ambivalent about any enduring role in European security after the war, says historian William Philpott."It took a number of years Europe didn’t settle down. There was more trouble between France and Germany, particularly over the question of reparations.And here it was American finance that started to play a part in international affairs ."
历史学家William Philpott说，尽管做出了牺牲，但美国对战后在欧洲安全方面的任何持久作用都持矛盾态度。“欧洲花了很多年才稳定下来。法国和德国之间出现了更多的麻烦，尤其是在赔款问题上。此时美国金融开始在国际事务中发挥作用。”

World powers would once again go to war in 1939. American military power became decisive in European security. We see it being built up to defeat fascism but we see it being maintained thereafter because of the threat from the Eastern Bloc.And although American power has changed its nature after the end of the Cold War, we still see that America has retained this capacity to project power globally and act as the world’s policeman. For America as a nation, that role is under threat, as rival power seek to challenge the United States supremacy. For America as a people, the centenary of the Armistice offers a chance to remember the fathers and sons who never came home from a war that some fear is being forgotten.
1939年，世界大国再次开战。美国的军事力量对欧洲的安全起了决定性作用。我们知道，它是为了打败法西斯主义而建立起来的，后来因来自东方阵营的威胁而得以维持。尽管冷战结束后，美国的实力已经改变了其性质，但我们看到，美国仍有能力在全世界加强实力并充当世界警察。对美国国家来说，这一角色正面临威胁，因为敌对势力试图挑战美国的霸权。对美国人民来说，纪念停战百年提供了一个机会来铭记那些战死沙场、至今未归的热血男儿，他们亦为人父、为人子，有些人担心他们正在被遗忘。

Henry Ridgwell for VOA News at the Argonne battlefields.
美国之音新闻，Henry Ridgwell阿贡战场为您报道。