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Australia and World War I
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Why did Australia become involved in the war?
Topic : Why did Australia become involved in the war?
In this topic you will learn...
Chapter 1 :
Australia`s duty
As a member of the British Empire, when war was declared Australia was obliged to provide support
A sense of loyalty to Britain led to Australians wanting to support Britain
For some Australians, enthusiasm for the war came from the belief that the British Empire was superior to other nations
Rumours about supposed atrocities taking place in Germany were fabricated and perpetuated by the media
Thousands of men rushed to enlist as soldiers to fight
Not everyone agreed with Australia`s involvement in the war. There were groups who opposed it on moral, religious and political grounds
Chapter 2 :
The benefits
At the outbreak of World War I, Australia committed herself and all of her resources to the British Empire
While the majority of Australians supported this action, some were unsure about it
The decision to support the British not only assisted Australia but also served to ensure her own security
Australia`s geographical isolation placed her in a potentially vulnerable situation
Australia`s location amongst neighbouring nations, which had French and German presences, also allowed for the possibility that Australia could find herself under a direct threat of invasion
Australia did not have the necessary military strength to defend her shores alone
Australia`s patronage was pledged to Britain in return for the assurance of assistance
Chapter 3 :
The Western Front
The Western Front was a series of 700 kilometre-long trenches which stretched from the Swiss border through to the Belgian coast
Winston Churchill devised a plan to bring down Turkey in the belief it would cause the Central Powers to collapse
By the time the Australians reached France, the Western Front had settled into a stalemate
The first action on the Western Front for the Australians was in July 1916 at the Battle of Fromelles
At the Battle of Pozieres the Australians suffered as many casualties in the couple of months they were there as the ANZACs did in the entire Gallipoli campaign
The first time tanks were used in a military battle was at Bullecourt in 1917
Passchendaele (July 1917) is just as often associated with fierce and prepared fighting by the Germans as it is with the harsh conditions that caused many casualties
The taking back of Villers-Bretonneux and the battle at Le Hamel marked a turning point in the war
Amiens (August 1918) marked the beginning of the final offensive by the Allies that would force Germany to retreat and eventually bring World War I to a close
An armistice was signed on 11 November 1911. Peace treaties were signed and Germany was forced to pay reparations
Chapter 4 :
Australia`s legacy
While the French will never forget, Australians also need to be aware of the legacy of the Australian troops on the Western Front
In 1918 when German forces captured the French town of Villers-Bretonneux the ANZACs counterattacked and were able to eventually return it to the people
The people of Villers-Bretonneux have a deep gratitude for the Australian troops, naming a street, restaurant and school after the Australian homeland
Schoolchildren in Victoria supported the French village by raising money that was used to build a school that still stands to this day
There is an Australian National War Memorial at Villers-Bretonneux and the school there holds Anzac Day ceremonies on 25 April each year - the date that the Australians returned their village to them
The 1918 Battle of Le Hamel was one of the most successful operations ever carried out, lasting less than two hours and capturing 1400 German prisoners
The success of the operation was attributed to the preparation and planning which went into fooling the Germans and catching them off guard
The victory was not only important in military terms but also boosted the morale of people in the Allied nations
France still today acknowledges the contributions of the Australian soldiers during World War I
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