This weekend across Australia and New Zealand is a holiday weekend.
The holiday - ANZAC Day (Australia New Zealand Army Corps) - would be comparable to our Veterans Day.
Notables:
- 95th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipolli. Young Australian military forces assisting Britain during WWI. Though defeated this particular battle represented a victory for a young Australian nation. First test of the young army. Battle "helped forge a national identity" as commented on the news.
- Only after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor during WWII did Australian begin to think seriously about their own national security. Japan did attack Australian soil--Darwin particularly was hit hard. Sydney escaped much damage even though Japanese subs entered Sydney Harbour and bombed Bondi and Rose Bay. Two of the subs were destroyed with one "escaping". In 2006, that sub's wreckage was discovered off of Sydney's Northern Beaches.
- US Battle of the Coral Sea ended up protecting Australia from the Japanese and that was the start of the alliance between the two nations.
- Australia did send troops to Vietnam to support US efforts, even though Britain did not. Because of close proximity, American troops would "flood" Australian cities on R&R. My dad was one of those!
(history taken from Lonely Planet's "Sydney City Guide")
- First year without a WWI "Digger"
(Import word from the gold rushes in Australia. Originally referred to a miner however miners typically worked in pairs, so digger took on the symbol of mateship, particularly during times of world wars--Lonely Planet Australian Language and Culture)
Today's ceremonies:
- Dawn service (4:30a start) over 7,000 attended
- March (parade from 9a-1p) tens of thousands in downtown Sydney
- over 18,000 veterans
Notables:
- 95th anniversary of the ANZAC landing at Gallipolli. Young Australian military forces assisting Britain during WWI. Though defeated this particular battle represented a victory for a young Australian nation. First test of the young army. Battle "helped forge a national identity" as commented on the news.
- Only after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor during WWII did Australian begin to think seriously about their own national security. Japan did attack Australian soil--Darwin particularly was hit hard. Sydney escaped much damage even though Japanese subs entered Sydney Harbour and bombed Bondi and Rose Bay. Two of the subs were destroyed with one "escaping". In 2006, that sub's wreckage was discovered off of Sydney's Northern Beaches.
- US Battle of the Coral Sea ended up protecting Australia from the Japanese and that was the start of the alliance between the two nations.
- Australia did send troops to Vietnam to support US efforts, even though Britain did not. Because of close proximity, American troops would "flood" Australian cities on R&R. My dad was one of those! (history taken from Lonely Planet's "Sydney City Guide")
- First year without a WWI "Digger"
(Import word from the gold rushes in Australia. Originally referred to a miner however miners typically worked in pairs, so digger took on the symbol of mateship, particularly during times of world wars--Lonely Planet Australian Language and Culture)
Today's ceremonies:
- Dawn service (4:30a start) over 7,000 attended
- March (parade from 9a-1p) tens of thousands in downtown Sydney
- over 18,000 veterans
