Comments on: ANZAC Day - lest we forget

By: Tim Hogan

Tim Hogan — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:52:33 +0000

Hank, the movie starred an up and comer named Mel Gibson, among others. I read about the battle after seeing the movie, what a cruel waste! The quote about the slaughter of the brave led by lambs beget “Lions For Lambs” as a film more recently.

We salute the fallen in the cause of freedom, and those who still serve.

By: Tony Coyle

Tony Coyle — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:00:39 +0000

Gallipoli was barely a footnote in my history classes (60\’s & 70\’s in the UK), but I learned about it, and the origins of ANZAC day from Aussie soaps which were popular in the UK at the time, especially
the Sullivans which was set in the early decades of the 20th Century.

Learning about it was certainly contributory to my pacifist leanings.

As I grew older, I found the similarities and differences between the British celebration of Remembrance day (\’Poppy day\’), and ANZAC day telling. Both reflect the stupidity of war, the courage and obedience of young men, the arrogant certainties of old generals, and the use of propaganda to make dying in war seem patriotic. The major difference, was that the Somme was British soldiers dying in a British war. Gallipoli was ANZAC soldiers dying in a British war, in which they had no pressing interest.

By: Erich Vieth

Erich Vieth — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:54:33 +0000

Thank you, Hank, for sharing the deep emotions of the day, as well as the history.

This is the first time I had heard of ANZAC Day. That I had never heard of it reminds me how parochial American education can be.