World War I: an introduction
‘The war to end all wars’ or ‘The Great War’ is what WWI was initially referred to as. It was Australia’s first military conflict, for the reason that it had only been its own united nation for thirteen years. Most of Australia believed that the enemy would be quickly defeated, and that soldiers would have a leisurely time seeing the world. However, despite the governments’ attempt to cover up the harsh reality of war, occupants of Australia soon realised that World War I was not as exciting and enjoyable as it was initially presented as (to say the least).
Causes
Wars between nations can be started by many complex and sometimes petty reasons. WWI was caused by a variety of factors that had been lying dormant for over 20 years. Rivalries, jealousy over territory, economic progress, competitiveness over the size of armed forces, and the challenge to colonise the new and unknown parts of the world all added to the overall tension between the great powers of Europe.
And the war begins
After the assassination of Ferdinand, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia on 28 July 1914. Britain was drawn into the conflict when the Schlieffen Plan was put in place, (Germany attacking France through Belgium; assuming they would both be quickly defeated). Britain had signed a treaty in 1839 guaranteeing to aid Belgium if another country attacked its borders.
Australia was a dominion of the British Empire. This meant that when the Brits declared war on Germany, they were automatically involved. Australia’s initial response was an enthusiastic one- the men all rushed to enlist. Some did it out of loyalty to their mother country, and some did it to give Australia a name. Some did it in the spirit of adventure and saw it as an opportunity to leave home and meet French girls. Some even did it to earn a good, steady income. Other enlisted to escape the boredom of everyday life and jobs, or to leave school early.
Australia was a dominion of the British Empire. This meant that when the Brits declared war on Germany, they were automatically involved. Australia’s initial response was an enthusiastic one- the men all rushed to enlist. Some did it out of loyalty to their mother country, and some did it to give Australia a name. Some did it in the spirit of adventure and saw it as an opportunity to leave home and meet French girls. Some even did it to earn a good, steady income. Other enlisted to escape the boredom of everyday life and jobs, or to leave school early.
Locations
The first conflict Australia was involved in was the Gallipoli campaign, where the Australian troops’ aim was to knock Turkey out of the war. The fighting continued from April to December 1915, and was eventually declared a failure. The majority of Australian soldiers were moved to the Western Front, where they were engaged in trench warfare for three years, until November 1918. On the Western Front, new weapons such as gas and tanks were introduced, and they had to endure the nastiness of living and fighting in the trenches. It was here that Australians adopted the nickname ‘diggers’. By early 1918 troops were physically and mentally exhausted, resources were depleted and morale at an all-time low. On 11 November 1918 ceasefire was signed, and the ‘war to end all wars’ was finally over. 60,000 brave Australian men and women were killed, and 156,000 were wounded, gassed or taken prisoner.