Lest we forget
The 1981 film, Gallipoli captures only a fragment of the brutal reality of warfare and represents a single generational perspective on the importance of ANZAC Day.
What we remember, celebrate and mourn about World War I and World War II has changed the significance of ANZAC Day to fit with society’s perception of warfare and nationalism. In particular, modern representations of ANZAC troops in World War I have carved a division between younger generations and the significance of ANZAC Day.
While ANZAC Day is oftentimes represented as a day of mourning for troops lost, all too often it is used as a day to glorify war, which overshadows the sacrifice of millions of young men. On ANZAC Day, people often gather to play Two-up, yet many are unaware of the true origin of this Australian gambling game. In the trenches, Two-up served as a coping mechanism for soldiers, who played it to distract themselves from the horror of losing their friends on the battlefields around them.
In today’s context, Two-up is used as an attempt to make a personal connection between contemporary Australians and the ANZAC troops of World War I. However, rather than understanding the harrowing experiences of the troops, many take away an entirely different message from playing or watching Two-up, one that honours the supposed characteristics of an ANZAC soldier. While these characteristics - bravery, honour, humour, resilience, courage and ingenuity - are admirable traits that we should all applaud, in a modern context they do not recognise the sacrifice of the soldiers or the post-traumatic stress disorder many experienced afterwards. ANZAC Day should be about more than heroism or the idea that the greatest thing an ordinary person could do in wartime was to give up their life. Instead it should highlight the tremendous loss of Australian life, and the exploitation of young men to join the army.
The emphasis on the soldiers at Gallipoli has changed how we, as a society, think about ANZAC Day. In the years after World War I, ANZAC Day was a day to mourn the loss of family members, which is how the perception of the day remained following World War II and other significant wars. However, the perception and connection with the Gallipoli soldiers has changed over time. In particular, the significance of ANZAC Day has become a celebration of Australian history and identity on the world stage, as a result of the current detachment from the soldiers of war. As Australia becomes more culturally diverse and our connection to the individual soldiers involved in the 1915 to 1916 Gallipoli campaign diminishes, the significance of ANZAC Day has become the memorialisation of Australian history. In particular, by emphasising nationalism on ANZAC Day, there is an associated danger of losing sight of what we can learn from the tragedy of Gallipoli: the people we lost and the suffering they endured.
While perceptions of Gallipoli have changed, many themes have transcended past and modern interpretations of warfare and ANZAC Day itself. In the past, Gallipoli was emphasised as a national cause to gain popular support. Now, as younger generations experience a generational divide from ANZAC Day, we seek to connect with this event through our national identity. Thus, there remains a necessity to put aside the ideas of national divide. The reality is that warfare results in losses for both sides, and this sorrow should connect us and should be acknowledged through commemoration.
The lessons of Gallipoli remind us of the dangers of glorifying war. From a modern perspective, it is apparent that warfare damages lives both physically and mentally, not only affecting the soldiers, but their families and their communities too. What is necessary on ANZAC Day is the commemoration of the bravery and courage of these soldiers as they engaged in what they thought was necessary. While we must commemorate the immense courage of those young Australian soldiers, we must also honour all the lives that have been lost in war. ANZAC Day is not just about remembering World War I, but every war that Australia has been (or continues to be) involved in. Though that fateful day 102 years ago may seem far removed from our lives today, it is extremely important that we preserve the memory of those who fought and died in wars in order to protect and serve our country and their legacy.
Lest we forget.
China and Natalie (Year 11)