When the three astronauts Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, it ended a historic race between Russia and the USA as to who was going to reach the moon first. There was some uneasiness as to their return home, and the government wanted to be prepared in case they would not have made it back home. And so the President at that time, Richard Nixon prepared this touching speech, which thankfully was never delivered: ‘Faith has ordained that the men who went to the moon to explore in peace will stay on the moon to rest in peace. These brave men, Neil Armstrong, Edwin Aldrin and Michael Collins know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice. These three men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for truth and understanding. They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a Mother earth that dared to send three of her sons into the unknown. In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice, they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man. In ancient days, men looked at the stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood. Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts. For every human being who looks up at the moon in the nights to come will know that there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.’
Fortunately
there was no need to use this speech as the three astronauts returned home
safely.
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