"Teaching people about the world in which we live."
"Teaching people about the world in which we live."
In April, Australian and New Zealand cities set aside a day to commemorate the
men and women who fought in World War One (WWI). This day is very much like the holiday
the United States remembers each May known as Memorial Day. WWI was fought between 1914 -
1918. It was known as the Great War because it was the first global war that had ever
occurred on Earth. Everyone truly hoped that it would be the War to End All Wars, but it
was not. ANZAC Day marks a day of remembrance. It is difficult to think of this as a
celebration when the history of the war is examined.
In August 1914 the British Empire, of which Australia was a part, asked men to
volunteer to serve in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). They formed the 25th
Battalion and are well known for the First Infantry Division and the First Light Horse
Brigade. These volunteers and the women nurses who joined them, would travel half way
around the world to Europe, Egypt, and the Middle East to fight against the Axis powers
which included Germany and Turkey.
The first major battle in which these soldiers fought was at Gallipoli against the Turks. The ANZAC soldiers had trained in Egypt and were part of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force led by General Sir Ian Hamilton. The eight month campaign was a terrible, crushing defeat for the British Empire’s forces. The ANZAC units suffered 8,000 dead and 10,000 wounded at the ANZAC Cove as they attempted to dislodge the Turks from their beachhead stronghold. The defeat was caused by poor leadership, bad administration, and lack of training. The valor and courage of the soldiers themselves has never been questioned.
After the defeat at Gallipoli, the ANZAC forces were reorganized and divided between the battle zones of the Middle East and France. France had been captured by Germany and the ANZAC forces fought to liberate it. The conflict raged for four months as the Allies tried to push the German forces back east into Germany beyond the defenses known as the Hindenberg Line.
During the entire war, the casualties in Australian lives was the
highest percentage among any country fighting in this war. Of the 331,000 soldiers who
left Australia to fight in Europe and the Middle East, 58,961 died, 166,811 were
casualties, and 4,098 were either missing in action or prisoners of war.
However, these ANZAC men and women entered this war as volunteers; they were not drafted (conscripted). They served because they believed that their efforts were needed to preserve the democratic way of life they valued. They did not say that Europe was so far away that its conflicts did not matter. It is this spirit of patriotism and idealism which is celebrated on ANZAC Day.
Each April, Australia and New Zealand remember the soldiers who fought to preserve their way of life. The citizens celebrate with parades, barbecues, and visits to the gravesites and memorials of those who served.
