why did australia go to war in ww1
Military history of Australia during World War I Following Britain's declaration of war on Germany on 4 August 1914, Australia and the other members of the British Empire became automatically involved, with Prime Minister Joseph Cook stating on 5 August 1914 that "...when the Empire is at war, so also is Australia." Given the predominantly British heritage of most Australians at the time, there was considerable support from all corners of the country and large numbers of young Australian men reported to recruiting centres around the country to enlist in the following months. When Prime Minister Andrew Fisher's Labor Party came to power in September 1914, he reiterated Cook's statement saying, "Should the worst happen ...", Australia would "...rally to the Mother Country ... to help and defend her to our last man and our last shilling."[1]
Vietnam War There are several competing views on the conflict, with some on the North Vietnamese and National Liberation Front side viewing the struggle against US forces as a colonial war and a continuation of the First Indochina War against forces from France and later on the United States[79] especially the light of the failed Geneva Conference calls for elections. Other interpretations of the North Vietnamese side include viewing it as a civil war especially in the early and later phases following the U.S interlude between 1965 and 1970[80] as well as a war of liberation.[79] The perspective of some Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, the successor to the Viet Cong were motivated in part by significant social changes in the post-WW2 Vietnam, and had initially saw it as a revolutionary war supported by Hanoi[81][82] The pro-government side in South Vietnam viewed it as a civil war, a defensive war against communism[80][83] or were motivated to fight to defend their homes and families.[84] The U.S. government viewed its involvement in the war as a way to prevent a communist takeover of South Vietnam. This was part of the domino theory of a wider containment policy, with the stated aim of stopping the spread of communism.[85]
Military history of Australia during World War I The AIF departed Australia in November 1914 and, after several delays due to the presence of German naval vessels in the Indian Ocean, arrived in Egypt, where they were initially used to defend the Suez Canal. In early 1915, however, it was decided to carry out an amphibious landing on the Gallipoli peninsula with the goal of opening up a second front and securing the passage of the Dardanelles. The Australians and New Zealanders, grouped together as the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC), went ashore on 25 April 1915 and for the next eight months the Anzacs, alongside their British, French and other allies, fought a costly and ultimately unsuccessful campaign against the Turks.
Gallipoli Campaign The Allies planned to land and secure the northern shore, to capture the Ottoman forts and artillery batteries there so that a naval force could advance through the Narrows and the Sea of Marmara towards Constantinople.[88] Scheduled for 23 April but postponed until 25 April due to bad weather, landings were to be made at six beaches on the peninsula.[89] The 29th Division was to land at Helles on the tip of the peninsula and then advance upon the forts at Kilitbahir. The Anzacs, with the 3rd Infantry Brigade spearheading the assault, were to land north of Gaba Tepe on the Aegean coast, from where they could advance across the peninsula, cutting off the Ottoman troops in Kilitbahir.[90] The small cove in and around which they landed became known as "Anzac Cove".[91] This sector of the Gallipoli Peninsula became known as Anzac; the area held by the British and French became known as the Helles sector or Helles. The French made a diversionary landing at Kum Kale on the Asian shore before re-embarking, to hold the eastern area of the Helles sector. The Royal Naval Division simulated landing preparations at Bulair as a diversion and a New Zealand officer, Bernard Freyberg, swam ashore under fire to light flares, to distract the defenders from the real landings; Freyberg was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order.[92][93][94]