Message to Young Americans

ORIGINAL FRENCH EDITION. One of 100 hand-numbered copies on Holland paper.

At Dorothy Thomson's request, Saint-Exupéry addressed American students at the Progressive Education Association in 1942: "Dorothy Thomson asked me to say a few words to you, and I was happy to do so [...] It feels as though I am simply sitting among you, young people of good company, as a comrade, and reflecting with you on one of the problems that are close to our hearts [...] You are at war. You are young [...] The fate of the world is at stake. And you are preparing to work and fight for freedom in the world."

As the United States entered the war, Saint-Exupéry urged the young students to grasp the stakes of this war, whose outcome would define humanity. He urged them to make a "sacrifice" and a "gratuitous gift" for the common good, for free individuals within the community of people: "When you harvest the crops without pay, for the good of the United States at war, then you will contribute to founding the entire community of the United States. And thus your fraternity."

Published in the American journalThe Scholastic Sentinelin a translation by Lewis Galantiere on March 25, 1942, this text was thought to be lost in its original French version. That was until Countess de Saint-Exupéry unearthed it.

A poignant speech by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry on the involvement of young Americans in World War II.