The journey to the moon embarked upon by the crew of Apollo 11 50 years ago is one of the greatest achievements in the history of humankind. But as the country cheered liftoff, leaders silently prepared for catastrophe.
Photo Credit: NASA
The US National Archives has released a speech written specifically for President Nixon to deliver if astronauts Armstrong and Aldrin were ultimately marooned – which would have meant that they were going to die on the moon.
Written by William Safire, the speech begins:
Fate 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 and Edwin Aldrin, know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
Safire, who would eventually write for the New York Times, continues poetically:
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.
Photo Credit: U.S. Archives
Safire’s speech concludes:
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.
Photo Credit: U.S. Archives
As beautiful and poignant as Safire’s speech is, we are grateful we never heard it. On July 20, 1969, Commander Neil Armstrong and lunar module pilot Buzz Aldrin landed the Eagle on the lunar surface before returning safely to earth, June 24.
