<--PREV Doc #642  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #644 Document #643; April 8, 1958 To Carlos Polestico Garcia Series: EM, AWF, International Series: Philippine Islands The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XIX - The Presidency: Keeping the Peace Part IV: Recession and Reform; February 1958 to May 1958 Chapter 9: "The problems inherent in this job"   Dear Mr. President: On this 16th Anniversary of the Fall of Bataan, an event which we commemorate with sadness, but with pride, I extend best wishes to you and to the people of the Philippines on behalf of the people of the United States.1 The symbol of Bataan, the offering of the ultimate sacrifice by friends for one another, is an ideal so rarely witnessed that it will inspire freedom-loving men always. That together we have carried on our struggle for the preservation of liberty with justice does honor to the memory of our fallen sons and comrades. Our mutual friendship has been nourished by the spirit of Bataan. May it continue to grow.2 Sincerely 1 1958 marked the third consecutive year that Eisenhower had recognized Bataan Day (April 9) with a letter to the Philippine president. The State Department's original draft of this sentence had read, " . . . commemorate with pride and sadness. . . ." After Eisenhower revised the message, State Department officials sent it to the American embassy in Manila (see Howe to Goodpaster, Apr. 8, 1958, AWF/I: Philippine Islands). For background on the surrender of American forces on April 8, 1942, see Chandler, War Years, nos. 23 and 229; on plans for President Garcia's June visit to the United States see no. 605. 2 President Garcia would tell Eisenhower that his message, "coming from a renowned soldier who himself was in the thick of the battle against the forces that were out to stifle individual human freedom . . . was both inspiring and encouraging" (Garcia to Eisenhower, Apr. 11, 1958, AWF/I: Philippines). Bibliographic reference to this document: Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Carlos Polestico Garcia, 8 April 1958. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 643. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/second-term/documents/643.cfm <--PREV Doc #642  |  Memorial Commission Home Page  |  Second Term Table of Contents  |  Presidential Papers Home Page  |  Doc#  |  NEXT--> Doc #644

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