In-war-and-peace-澳大利亚-战争年代-及平--英文.doc

In war and peace
By Wei leng

Since 1899, Australia has been involved in nearly all the important wars in the world, Including the Boer War (1899-1902), World War I (1914-1918), World War II (1939-1945), the Korean War (1950-1953), the Vietnam War (1962-1972) and the Gulf War (1990-1991). These wars have influenced Australia history and society, the ANZAC spirit which included endurance, courage, ingenuity, egalitarianism, and mate ship has been built on an idealized conception of the Australia experience of the war.

The spirit of ANZAC was demonstrated at the Gallipoli landing in the First World War, and this type of inspiring spirit has affected the military of Australia during the Second World War as well.

In 1915, Australia and New Zealand military landed at Gallipoli in the First World War, therefore the word ANZAC originally meant someone who fought at Gallipoli, and later had a new meaning that was any Australia or New Zealand who fought or served in the First World War. ANZAC Day now is the day to remember the lives of all Australians lost.

The landing at Gallipoli was very tough; Australia military wrote an unforgettable story of courage and endurance in history. Some Australians lost their lives because the poor leadership from London and the harsh situation with unsuccessful strategies.

Vivian Benjafield served throughout the First World War on the hospital ships in the Australian Army Medical Corps as a surgeon and administrator in Gallipoli. He volunteered to join in the service in September 1914, he was sent to No.2 Australian General Hospital after he passed the examining for recruits. He served in Egypt afterwards.

In April 1915, he sailed as a medical officer. Later, that ship had been converted into a temporary hospital ship at Gallipoli. They prepared to land at Gallipoli, however, they just had very little time to get ready, and the ship finally dropped anchor in the habour on the north side of Lemnos Island at 5.30am on 24th April. He experienced how tough the landing at Gallipoli was.

Their hospital ship was frequently in danger with shrapnel, machine gun fire and rifle fire pouring over them. They were just doctors and nurses; no one had been under the fire before. They felt helpless even hopeless, nonetheless, the amazing efforts had finally come to a good end. They tried their best to make prominent help for the troops with the limited supplies.

After the Turks six weeks’ surefire preparation, the Turks made the landing of the troops an exceedingly difficult task. Almost every troop had been wounded. Any imaginable portion of the body has been hit---the arms, legs, even in the tongue, in the eye, through upper jaws and nose. The bullet even ran through the windpipe. Those wounds did not cause the death immediately, in spite of this, they came with unbearable pain. Providentially, they had plenty of opium and morphia to help the troops who were in pain.

At length, he returned to Australia. Then, he was employed in the medical service in place of being demobilized. After the First World War, he became a well-known doctor who insisted on visiting his repat patients regularly even after he had retired. He continued the spirit which was really important during the war in peace.

ANZAC Day has been on every 25th of April for the reason that is the date of the landing at the Gallipoli. For remembering such an important day, people made a legend:

It is a legend not of sweeping military victories so much as triumphs against the odds, of courage and ingenuity in adversity,
It is a legend of free and independent spirits whose discipline derived less from military formalities and customs than from the bands of mate ship and the demands of necessity.
(Former Prime Minister of Australia, the Hon Mr. Paul Keating, at the Entombment of the Unknown Soldier at the Australian War Memorial, 1993)

Nearly every town or suburb in Australia has a war memorial to honour war veterans.
Every year since 1921, people in Australia and New Zealand all have a one-day holiday for memorizing the heroes in the world war.

There was no world war happening in Australia, because Australia is one of the most isolated countries in the world. In spite of this, Australia has two days for remembering the war: THE ANZAC DAY (25th APRIL), and THE REMEMBERANCE DAY (11th NOVEMBER). In some ways, war is the way that some countries invaded other countries. As Australia, we did not need to join the War, but we did, joined in the war for peace.

As a new federation country, it was so hard for Australian to join in the war. Most of the men in Australia took part in the War. They did go fight for peace, since then, the Australian women started to work instead of staying at home. They even had to do some ‘men’s’ jobs.

On 27th July 1942, the Australian Women’s Land Army (AWLA) was established as a national organization. The women who were the ages of 18 and 50 years could enroll in the Australia Women’s Land Army. Their job is to help the government to replace the male farm workers who were working for the War; both who had enlisted in the armed services and were working in other essential war work. In September 1945，the Australia Women’s Land Army decided not to take effect later than 31st December 1945.

Both the male and the female Australians concentrated all their force on keeping the peace of the world. Australia is one of the countries that involved in close to 100 separate missions in peacekeeping operations.

In Wartime, Australians tried their best to fight for the world peace. In peace, Australians make the effects to prevent the War. As adolescent, we should inherit the good spirits that were used in the wartime, and remember the pain in wartime. These should help us keep thinking over how important the peace is, and make the world more peaceful. Either in wartime or in peace, we worked for better life. Can you imagine, if we are involved in war now, how we can have such easy lives?

Bibliography：
Bean, Charles (1921). The Story of Anzac: From the Outbreak of War to the End of the First Phase of
the Gallipoli Campaign May 4, 1915. Sydney.
Hardisty, Sue (ed.) (ed.), Thanks girls and goodbye: the story of the Australian Women's Land Army 1942-45, Viking O'Neil, Ringwood, Vic, 1990, 231 pp; [1] Agency notes for CA 4304 National Archives of Australia.
http://www.australiansatwar.gov.au/stories/stories_war=W1_id=175.html
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/anzac/
http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/womeninwartime/
Londey, Peter (2004). Other People's Wars: A History of Australian Peacekeeping. Crows Nest: Allen and Unwin.