How Did Australia's Wwi Service History Contribute To National Identity

Many historians disagree on which historical event was key in shaping the Australian identity. Two common answers are Federation, and the fall-out of World War One. Both events have had significant impact on the evolving identity of the Australian people. World War I was a military conflict that lasted for the four years between July 1914 and November 1918. World War One was a force of change due to the nature of Australia's involvement at home and in politics. Prime Minister Billy Hughes came to power just six months after the start of the war. This meant that as a politician, he held a significant sway with the Australian public. Both Hughes and the media influences at the time are key aspects of the Australian identity during the war, and

The landing at Anzac cove, Gallipoli, is a significant part in the history of our identity in the war and the world. I

“The driving need to celebrate the deeds of past serviceman and promote conceptions of national identity wrapped in the imagery of war have come to dominate our national discourse” (Stockings, n.d.) Professor Craig Stockings of ACSACS (Australian Centre for the Study of Armed Conflict and Society) states on the topic of the ANZAC myth. This quote is simply stating that WWI changed Australia’s views on war - in the way that we celebrate it as if it was the countries biggest victory. In truth, Australia’s outlook on war didn’t change in this perspective; our idea of the bronzed, larrikin soldier still stands strong. However, when World War II (WWII) rolled around, men didn’t want to enlis; they’d seen the detrimental health effects on soldiers and the many lives lost. War, in short, was no longer a celebratory thing then (Rush to enlist, n.d.). However, this year, the government spent millions of dollars on ANZAC celebration to fuel the, essentially, trivialisation of war - the ANZAC legend. (AWM, n.d.) Australia’s view on war changed in that we thought of it as a celebratory act in modern times - this proves, it was not justified because of the trivialisation that goes on in

World War One was not just about the Germans and Russians. But It was the also about those solider who died serving for Australia during the Battle of the lone pine, which we all known as the Anzac today. The Gallipoli Campaign, which happened in 1915 and finished in 1916. It lasted for eight months and two weeks. Gallipoli Campaign had been a bad experience in the Australian War History. After they had fought for almost a year. Anzac was withdrawn from that Gallipoli Campaign. In this essay I’m going to explain about the reasons for the battle, the role of Australian soldiers and the how about how important was the contribution of Australian soldiers in the battle.

The Anzac legend began during the Gallipoli campaign where thousands of Australian and New Zealand soldiers died fighting the Turkish. On the 25th April in the year 1915 Australia and New Zealand troops landed on Gallipoli. Before WW1 Australia had struggled to find a unique identity which would separate it from its English roots. Having recently separated from England and becoming an independent nation Australia and its peoples were still searching for a national identity when WW1 began. WW1 was the first instance were Australia fielded its own national army after separating from England. This allowed Australian values, beliefs, and popular culture to truly start to grow. The Qualities which the Australian

World War one is strongly linked with the landing of Gallipoli, yet the Australian experience of WW1 is a lot more than the 8 months of the Gallipoli campaign. It can be argued that the experiences of Australian soldiers on the Western Front in 1916, including the Battles of Fromelles and Pozieres, have been largely overlooked in accounts of World War One. The landing of Gallipoli has become legendary and all it represents connects with most Australians. Consequently, the Battles of the Western Front have been overlooked. Thus, most ordinary Australians have only heard of the story behind the landing of Gallipoli. This event has taken precedence in the public’s mind and has been the focal point of war memories and remembrance.

When World War One broke out in 1914, men gathered from all over the country to fight for their land. Prime Minister Joseph Cook said on the 4th of August 1914, “when the empire is at war, so is Australia.” Although Australia as a nation lost 61,928 people, the war brought Australia to a new era and provided a new cultural status and identity. Through the war and our participation in World War One, our community emerged into the modern era, with women taking up the role of men in the workforce and Australia gaining cultural independence.

Indigenous Australians – Fought in ww1 and at home Lest we Forget is the most common and meaningful phrase when Australians remember soldiers who fought in the First World War. However, roughly 500 troops have been forgotten and these are the Indigenous Australians. Indigenous Australians served in the Boer War, both World War I and World War II, through to Afghanistan (Cambourne, 2013). Their willingness to fight for a country that disowned them, at the time of ww1, was unprecedented.

World War One was a significant event in Australian society, from 1914-1918.The impact of World War One on the changing role of women, effects of weaponry and trench warfare and discrimination against German and Turk Australians.These different topics all changed Australian society in varied ways.

ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corporation) troops established a reputation in the world, through qualities of strength and bravery, when faced by an unimaginable sense of adversity. In fact, it is much more than that, the legend of these men who endured so much has given something which Australians can be proud of. The Gallipoli landings, prior to dawn on the 25th April 1915, were one of the first opportunities for Australia, as a new nation, to earn the respect of the world, by showing her resilient national character, and putting her mark on the world as a nation not just descended from convicts. Their destiny was to create history, and to show the world the true valour and determination of an average Australian man.

The ANZAC’s contributed to the Great War by their courage and their several victories during the war. As described in ‘Australia’s contribution to World War One’ Vic. Government (2014) it says “…the ANZAC’s best assistances go towards the Gallipoli mission and helping on Western Front…” This expresses that the ANZAC’s backed the various missions on the Western Front and withheld the tragedy yet example of the Gallipoli operations. From the same source… “420,000 Australians served in the war, as many as 60,000 Australian’s died trying to…” Australian’s great sacrifice during World War 1 was extraordinary since the country wasn’t even federated for over 20 years before the war

Gallipoli is a film directed by Peter Weir, that was released in 1981. It is based upon World War 1. Gallipoli follows two young Australian Sprinters who join the Army and it shows the naivety of the young Australian Men when they tried to enlist. It follows them through their training and into their battle on the frontline. In not knowing what the future will be, how do we know if something will be a lost cause.

Every year, Anzac Day is celebrated across the nation, unifying Australians regardless of their background or place of birth to commemorate the service and sacrifice displayed by the men and women of the Anzac Forces. The 25th of April 2015, will mark the Centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign, and will be one of the most significant commemorations to take place of its generation. Despite the Campaign having been deemed a disaster with a large number of casualties along with the failure to achieve military victory, it has contributed tremendously to the development of Australia’s culture and identity. This Campaign observed the emergence of the Anzac Legend, encompassing the distinguishing

Australia is experiencing a true predicament. Australians feel that the nation does not have a clear nation identity. This failure to do so has left the country in a state of discontent. If a national identity is an idea constructed by modern nation-states to identify real or imagined commonalities in order to unite a population (Flayhive 2007). Australia is missing a national identity, as the country has yet to construct its own national identity. This lack of a clear national identity can largely be attributed to the youth of the country. The youth of the country and lack of a recognisable national identity does not mean Australia does not have one. The country’s national identity comes from the shared core values and experiences of the

Each year, ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) day is celebrated to pay tribute to the troops who landed at Gallipoli with the intent to capture the peninsula on 25 April 1915. (Cama, 2015) Soon after its official naming in 1916, ANZAC came to refer to any and all Australians and New Zealanders who took part in World War I, and the day has become a time for reflection, as well as a symbol of mateship, sacrifice and nationalism. The Gallipoli campaign was the first major military action shared by Australians and New Zealanders, and it was a campaign that lasted eight months, with more than 8 000 Australians having been killed in action. Because of this, it had lasting effects on the nation as a whole, hence why it is commemorated each year. Those who had served in the campaign were also irrevocably changed by the experiences they’d