I agree with Leigh. Anzac was a tragedy for Australia. The Federation was very new we had a small population at the time. It almost killed an entire generation of men. The fact is, however, more British died in Gallipoli than the number of Anzacs did. It was a tragedy for them too.

Also, people forget that ANZAC = Australia AND NZ Army corpse. The spirit of Anzac is the spirit of ANZAC. Australia does not have the sole copyright to that spirit: claiming that this is our national identity and nobody else's. The whole campaign was a slaughter: a needless carnage of young men invading another country that had nothing to do with Australia. Sound familiar? What DID we learn?

As for Boaz, ah, the Ottomans were not fighting to take over Australia. They only fought what they thought were the British Troops conspiring to invade with Russia. They had to defend Turkey. The determined fear was the British alliance with Russia.

I agree that Eureka was not unique as a battle against "the redcoats" and unfair taxes; yet it was significant in the formation of an identity. I wouldn't go as far as say that this was a unique spirit.

To find the Australian spirit, why do boys insist on measuring this on war? You are more likely to find clues in cultural arts, our music and in our film industry. That is, what we have left after the Howard years.

FLETCH... puh-LEASE... I've just come from the gym after a hard workout.. if I have to roll around the floor laughing it will do me serious damage :) grrr...

The Ottomans.. ? good grief. READ this you drongo :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Vienna

The Ottomans were as greedy for territory as any empire. I have NO sympathy whatsoever for them being attacked on Turkish soil. It would have been good for them to endure a taste of the British lash or the Russian..God knows how hard they tried to do the same to the Russians and Europeans.

I think the ANZAC spirit was born long before the actual event.
You will find it in the prose and poetry of Lawson and Patterson.
Compare "Clancy of the Overflow/Man from snowy river with the Australian Light Horse in Palestine...
There is a great reason to look fondly back on their bravery and heroism.
SO.. with that in mind.. I hope you guys will join the GREAT BIKINI MARCH on Australia day. (Melbourne)
http://thegreataustralianbikinimarch.wikispaces.com/

Posted by saintfletcher, Friday, 1 December 2006 2:54:37 PM
"The whole campaign was a slaughter: a needless carnage of young men invading another country that had nothing to do with Australia. Sound familiar? What DID we learn?"

Exactly the point I made in the OP. What we learn from the glorification of Gallipoli is - we learn to go wherever the government sends us, kill whoever we are told to kill and die for the privilege if required - these are exactly the lessons the government wants us to learn and it is why they push it so hard.

Rob,

Congratulations on building a 'shelf' others may use as a stepping-post to see above the low-life thinking of the 'upper' classes.

The usual supects come out like woodworms to drill their tiny(minded) holes through it while building nothing useful themselves.

I repeat my comment on a different post that the greatest conspiracy known to mankind is the one the rich use to convince the vastly more numerous poor that they are 'weak' (cannonfodder for their wars).

The commonality of Anzac and Eureka spirits was the determination and strength of the 'lower classes' rising to fight for what they believed. While Anzac soldiers were fooled into fighting an irrelevant war (to them) under the direction and command of half-witted British generals, it was their Spirit, not the command structure of the 'superior' officer classes, that caused Turks to respect their bravery and ability, even under sub-human conditions of mass-slaughter and hopelessness.

As the first time United Australia sent it's troops to war it exemplifies better than any the formation of a National fighting spirit, albeit we lost the battle, and is as good an object for rememberance and rallying around as is our Union Jack-inspired 'Aussie' Flag many have fought and died 'for'.

I'm always happy to defend freedom fighters of an invaded country for what they are and not terrorists as GW likes to call them, but i think you got the Ottoman's quite wrong.

The Ottomans, exactly like Boaz_D and Bush and Bonsai (little bush) are only ever happy when the whole world is under their domination and we all are made to think exactly alike ('cos that is so gonna happen ever!)

Because, just like the rich and their occupation of the poor, they have so much to lose and are mortally afraid of doing just that if they let someone else take over (overtake) them.

As always, many will fall for it and divide 'our' true strength we could use against them (just like the rich depend upon, and help manipulate in their conspiracy) to keep us under their control ('divide and conquer' is HOW old?)

Leigh,

Really..a 'fuss' you say?

well I think the men and women who went to war for us, ie: you ,....are deserving and very worthy of discussion in any context.

If I may be so bold exactly what is it you find so unworthy that they dont merit a discussion and any recognition?

The Anzacs for whats its worth faced a death defying feat there in the trenches in Gallipolli and for the life of me why you would be so callous and dismiissive of that, says more about you than maybe youi cared to reveal.?

But your veiws on any thread these days leaves me wondering why you bother to post at all.very negative on your behalf.

Gee Leigh - I thought i was the only one who sees you for what you are?? Perhaps before you die you might learn how to be constructive instead of destructive of other people with moral intent?

Or is that asking too much I wonder?