Kerrin
04-25-2005, 12:09 AM
To most this will mean nothing. Today in Australia it's ANZAC day!
I watched a couple of documentaries last night.and the futility of war was driven home, and how "forgotten" the Aussie's and New Zealanders were/have been in the last "great" world wars, (including Vietnam).
We are such a young country.
I felt more than guilty as I watched, and learned of how many of our "diggers" have lost their lives fighting other countries battles with the hope of keeping the "freedoms" we enjoy in the West.
As one young soldier wrote home shortly before his death; "We are at war, when war is the liberty that keeps the world at peace...."
So many lives were lost due to poor judgement, as is often the case.
It is a National holiday, many Australians now travel to Gallipoli in the hope of keping alive the memory of those who died ,especially there on the beaches..
(Our last original ANZAC died in 2002 at age 104, he had joined the army at 14!)
(The Aussies were fighting ,under British command, the Turks at Gallipoli, it was the wrong beach the wrong time , etc.......but the Aussie's fought despite the mess up. many were only 14 years old.......The Turks won the battle but as another soldier wrote before he 'charged to his death'," The Turks didn't beat us, we were beaten by the British high command".....(Loveridge).
They were literally sent to their deaths 150 at a time!!! ( Battle at Lone Pine).
It's history now so I can say it without being "political", the Aussies demanded to withdraw, the British said they HAD to go forward, knowing they were going to die.
The Turks now, acknowledge our fallen heroes as men who were 'sent to fight", and they "were sent to defend"!
(Apparently, during times of ceasefire, for 8 months they were within hearing distance sitting in the trenches, they could each hear the other side praying, and they would 'talk' to one another ).
That was the 1st world war.
It is incredibly sad that our children are taught about British, American history in our schools and that Australia was supposedly discovered by Captain Cook!
They know nothing of the dedication, courage and comittment of our historical fathers.......for not for their valiant fighting, we would not be the "free" country we are today!
I just wanted to pay tribute in some small way to our Aussie, (and New Zealand), soldiers who are known for their determination to never give up ,even when the odds are stacked against them!!.
( I say I feel guilty because I often "poke" fun at our military, having been married to a Texan ,and lived on a Navy base in California with him, seeing the American military might, and embarrassingly, I dared to compare! :o :( )
Something I won't do again.
So, to ALL our fallen men! I applaud you and am proud to be Australian!
Humbly,
Kerrin
I watched a couple of documentaries last night.and the futility of war was driven home, and how "forgotten" the Aussie's and New Zealanders were/have been in the last "great" world wars, (including Vietnam).
We are such a young country.
I felt more than guilty as I watched, and learned of how many of our "diggers" have lost their lives fighting other countries battles with the hope of keeping the "freedoms" we enjoy in the West.
As one young soldier wrote home shortly before his death; "We are at war, when war is the liberty that keeps the world at peace...."
So many lives were lost due to poor judgement, as is often the case.
It is a National holiday, many Australians now travel to Gallipoli in the hope of keping alive the memory of those who died ,especially there on the beaches..
(Our last original ANZAC died in 2002 at age 104, he had joined the army at 14!)
(The Aussies were fighting ,under British command, the Turks at Gallipoli, it was the wrong beach the wrong time , etc.......but the Aussie's fought despite the mess up. many were only 14 years old.......The Turks won the battle but as another soldier wrote before he 'charged to his death'," The Turks didn't beat us, we were beaten by the British high command".....(Loveridge).
They were literally sent to their deaths 150 at a time!!! ( Battle at Lone Pine).
It's history now so I can say it without being "political", the Aussies demanded to withdraw, the British said they HAD to go forward, knowing they were going to die.
The Turks now, acknowledge our fallen heroes as men who were 'sent to fight", and they "were sent to defend"!
(Apparently, during times of ceasefire, for 8 months they were within hearing distance sitting in the trenches, they could each hear the other side praying, and they would 'talk' to one another ).
That was the 1st world war.
It is incredibly sad that our children are taught about British, American history in our schools and that Australia was supposedly discovered by Captain Cook!
They know nothing of the dedication, courage and comittment of our historical fathers.......for not for their valiant fighting, we would not be the "free" country we are today!
I just wanted to pay tribute in some small way to our Aussie, (and New Zealand), soldiers who are known for their determination to never give up ,even when the odds are stacked against them!!.
( I say I feel guilty because I often "poke" fun at our military, having been married to a Texan ,and lived on a Navy base in California with him, seeing the American military might, and embarrassingly, I dared to compare! :o :( )
Something I won't do again.
So, to ALL our fallen men! I applaud you and am proud to be Australian!
Humbly,
Kerrin