Those who aren't with us are against us, said the president of the United States —
50 years ago.
1963 De Gaulle Warned on Allies
FRANKFURT — President Kennedy, in a blunt rebuttal to French President
Charles de Gaulle’s concept of an independent Europe, said … that those who would split allies “give aid and comfort” to enemies
of the West. “The United States,” Mr. Kennedy promised, “will risk its
cities to defend yours because we need your freedom to protect ours. ...
Those who would doubt our pledge or deny this indivisibility — those
who would separate Europe from America or split one ally from another —
would only give aid and comfort to the men who make themselves our
adversaries and welcome any Western disarray.” Mr. Kennedy tackled the
“De Gaulle problem” in a major foreign policy address in Frankfurt’s
historic Paulskirche — St. Paul’s Church.
