ANZAC Day Essay

First and foremost, the Anzac Spirit is about the remembrance of the sacrifices made by men and women who have and are still serving in the military.

The Gallipoli campaign was described as the baptism of the newly federated Australia, and a chance for Australian soldiers to prove themselves to the world. They were not ultimately victorious, but the soldiers came to represent the character traits of the new country: fit and healthy, duty bound and courageous, good humored and egalitarian. The ANZAC image allowed Australians to both demonstrate loyalty to Britain, and claim an identity of their own. There is much to challenge the factual accuracy of the ANZAC image.

World War 1 (1914-1918) was the first official war that Australians took part in, only thirteen years after federating as a country in 1901. During this time, thousands of lives were lost, families were torn apart, and friends were never seen again. April 25th became the national day to commemorate the ANZAC soldiers who had served overseas. Even now, 100 years later, people still remember those who sacrificed themselves for Australia, those who fought and fell in many battles to protect the country they lived in. The Gallipoli Campaign is the most famous battle of World War 1, the battle that every Australian household knows about. However, other battles such as the ones on the

Earlier this year, thousands of indigenous Australians and activist marched in major cities across Australia, arguing that January 26 shouldn’t be celebrated as its marks a day of mourning for many people.

World War One is regarded as a major turning point in history and modern warfare which has impacted Australia monumentally, scarring the nation’s history. Australia played a significant role in World War One and the Gallipoli campaign, which is considered the birthplace of the ANZAC legend. These events have immensely shaped Australia as the nation we know of today. World War One began in 1914 from the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and ended in 1918 on November the 11th which is now recognised as a day of mourning and a time given recognition to the lives taken on the battlefield. To a prominent extent, the ANZAC legend is significant to the concept of Australian identity and nationalism through the origins of the ANZAC legend, the key events that have helped form Australia as an independent nation, and in addition to how ANZAC day is commemorated today.

The Gallipoli campaign had a major effect on Australia’s identity and the way the rest of the world saw Australia as a country. The Gallipoli campaign was a trial to test their nationhood. The campaign shown many qualities of the Australian soldiers including bravery, strength, courage, endurance and mateship. All of these qualities reflect on the nation that the troops came from. The involvement of Gallipoli was a major event that has shaped our country’s reputation and the sacrifices made by so many Australians shows the fortitude that many men had to fight for their nation.

Let us acknowledge that we shall forever be in the debt of the ANZACs who unhesitatingly stepped forward to face the enemy, risking life and limb so that we could enjoy a life of freedom, our heads held high.

‘A massive increase in the popularity and national significance of ANZAC Day’ (Source 1), grew throughout the twenty-first century. Since the landing of Gallipoli, it has been celebrated and as it continued, it quickly adapted to the cultural change of the media and technology which further improved the growth of its popularity. This day joins all Australians as one, in celebration to show their respect, compassion and pride for those people who sacrificed their lives for our freedom. Damian Morgan conveyed the change in society, but also the well-kept, treasured ANZAC Spirit.

Last year, on the 25th of April was the centenary of the Gallipoli landing. Which, according to the Australian Defence force website, was to be for Australians, “one of the most significant commemorations to take place during their lifetime.” With the centenary looming in the backs of the minds of the Australian people, it is unsurprising that great pains have been taken to construct a three year long celebration that would “encompass a number of historical milestones on Australia 's involvement in conflicts”, such as both World Wars, Korea and Vietnam.

The Anzac legend is still relevant in today’s society as it reminds Australians and New Zealands of the sacrifice they made to protect our country and let us live in freedom. The legend defines our national identity and helps shape our national reputation so that other countries can look at us as and think of us as a country who are determined, brave, resilient and helps our mates when they are in trouble. Almost a whole generation of young men was lost and they deserved to be remembered. The soldiers continued to fight during challenging times and when they felt as though it was too hard and should give up. They slept in wet and dirty clothes and barely had enough food to survive. Australia wouldn’t be Australia without the legend of the soldiers who sacrificed themselves for us.

On 25 April 1915, during the First World War, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli peninsula as part of the 70,000 strong Anglo-French operation against Turkey to capture the Dardanelles. Over one million men were involved in the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign which lasted eight and a half months. Of the 44,070 soldiers who were killed during the campaign, 8,000 were Australian. It was the first time that Australians went into combat as Australians, giving Australia a sense of identity and a place in the world.

By the time the war was over in November 1918, more than 9 million soldiers had been killed. Those who survived Gallipoli would never again mistake war for adventure. Within 24 hours the plan had failed, leaving approximately 747 Australians dead on the first day. Gallipoli has become so important to Australia’s national identity because it was the first time Australian’s fought overseas. World War 1 has shaped the way Australia’s now lives as we grow to know, and respect the Anzac legend as we understand what the soldiers did for our nation. The ANZAC legend will always live on as the stories are passed through family, to family. Anzac Day is celebrated to ensured the campaign will never be forgotten.

Never forget the Anzac legend and spirit is the core characteristics and values of our nation, be proud of our Nations achievements and those that have served and continue to serve our country. During the war the legend of ANZAC became the proud possession of all in the AIF and most Australians. Since then, the anniversary of 25 April 1915 has been commemorated each year as ANZAC Day. The first ANZAC Day was conducted in 1916. The troops observed it in various ways, and in London large crowds watched 2,000 Australians and New Zealanders march to Westminster Abbey. In Australia there was strong support for the day, with between 60,000 and 100,000 people packing the Domain in Sydney for a service. By 1925 huge ANZAC Day marches were being conducted in all the main cities. Smaller places had their own observances. Most states marked the day with a public holiday, and within two years they all did. Second World War ex-servicemen, and later others, accepted ANZAC Day as theirs too. In immediate post-war years they swelled the numbers of veterans marching. In 1990 a few ageing Gallipoli veterans, accompanied by the Prime Minister, went back to Turkey for the 75th anniversary of the landing. Australians watched emotionally as a handful of representatives of a near vanished army received their salute.

However given the changing scape of Australian identity it is still relevant to multicultural Australia to keep commemorating the loss on Anzac day? Further does our lack of acknowledgment of the female and indigenous role diminish the value of our commemoration? The birth of the Anzac legend was on the 25th of April when the Anzacs first landed at Gallipoli. Australians and New Zealanders showed many different values during this battle. The values portrayed were courage, endurance, initiative, discipline and mateship.

Australia had always acknowledge Britain as the “mother country”. When Britain declared war on Germany for invading Poland, Australia was announced to be at war by the former Prime Minister, Gordon Menzies. “Fellow Australians, it is my melancholy duty to inform you officially that, in consequence of the persistence of Germany in her invasion of Poland, Great Britain has declared war upon her, and that, as a result, Australia is also at war.”