Anzac Day Legend
Today is the 25th April 2008. On the 25th April 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey during the “Great War”. The plan was to capture Constantinople and knock Turkey out of the war. The outcome was somewhat different with lots of casualties on both sides. One year later, this day became known as Anzac Day.
This picture is from our Canadian friends and I’d like to share it with you in the spirit of Anzac Day. Spare a thought for those soldiers that either volunteered or were forced into wars and conflicts throughout the world. Some had to fight to defend their countries. Others were sent off to invade countries they didn’t even want to be in. Spare a minute for their families, friends and close ones who suffered along with them.
Every Soul Matters
Take motivation from their sacrifice, regardless of what side they were on. Australia, Germany, England, Turkey, Japan, USA, Iraq, it matters not. Every soul that passed on during any conflict, was a soul belonging to a father, mother, son or daughter. Lives, sacrificed for causes of politicians that ensured their own sons stayed at home. The common man, like a soldier ant, carries the courage of a nation on his shoulders.
I honor those who made the sacrifice, those who carry the memories and likewise, those from both sides. To be forced to kill another person, made legal by a stroke of a politicians pen, is a horrible burdon to lay on any man or woman’s conscience.
Remember the suffering that went on back then and remember the suffering that we are causing right now around the world. 50 Million people were killed during the Second World War. Bombs were (and are) dropped in civilian areas and the souls count as collateral damage to another country that doesn’t really care. War is a horrible concept and the profit makers of this enterprise should hang their heads in shame.
Lest We Forget
Today is about remembering the common people that did what they were told to do. Far too many made the ultimate sacrifice. Bless their souls.
Lest we forget
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 - 2008
Tags: anzac day
April 25th, 2008 at 5:28 am
Hi Sean,
Thanks for the reminder. Gallipoli is a very spiritual place. To stand on the landing beach and look up through Shrapnel Valley, makes you wonder how they ever made it up the ridge. With the strategic vantage point that the Turks held it’s no wonder the valley earnt it’s name. There is a road there with trenches on either side. Turks on one side and ANZAC’s on the other and during times of ceasefire like over Christmas, the Turks would throw us over some cigarettes and we would throw back blocks of chocolate. The location of the final scene in the movie ‘Gallipoli’ is still there too. Scaling the wall of a 10-15ft trench and running out over a patch of land the size of 2 tennis courts with 2 Turkish machine guns ripping everyone too shreds was absolute caos. It’s one of those places in the world that I will never forget.
Thanks again for the reminder.
‘Lest we forget’
April 25th, 2008 at 5:35 am
Hi Stuart.
Your description makes the “senselessness” of war even more profound. Thanks for your comment. It really goes to show that the soldiers don’t want to be there. To be sharing cigarettes and chocolate is amazing. It reminds me of the Christmas eve football game between German and Allied soldiers during a cease fire. One of the absolute highlights or the Great War and a true showing of the human ability to care.
April 25th, 2008 at 6:31 am
[...] dosBlogs - wrote an interesting post today on Anzac Day LegendHere’s a quick excerptAnzac Day Legend April 25th, 2008 Today is the 25th April 2008. On the 25th April 1915, the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey during the “Great War”. The plan was to capture Constantinople and knock Turkey out of the war. The outcome was somewhat different with lots of casualties on both sides. One year later, this day became known as Anzac Day. This picture is from our Canadian friends and I’d like to share it with you in the spirit of [...]
April 25th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Thank you Sean for those comments, so many soldiers gave their lives so that we could enjoy the world we have today, the real sad part is the ones they died for barely even know what anzac day is about and kids have been heard to ask …what are they marching for…??
they shall grow not old , nor the years condemn, at the gowing down of the sun……
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM
“LEST WE FORGET”
April 25th, 2008 at 10:46 am
Hi Allen. It’s a time to remember. My thoughts are with them today and many others too.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:57 pm
Thanks for your thoughtful and heartfelt post Sean. Your comment “War is a horrible concept and the profit makers of this enterprise should hang their heads in shame.” So many hundreds of thousands of Iraqi’s have died in the current war to gain power over oil reserves. What is needed are more people standing up on Anzac day and saying NO MORE to war. Anzac day can then become something that present generations can relate to. This madness has to stop. We are killing our brothers and sisters. For OIL.
April 25th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Hi Russell
There is a saying, I believe by Albert Einstein. It goes something like this:
“Peace is only possible through a generation of military service refusal”
I messed that up a bit. Basically what he said was this: If everyone refuses to fight, there will be no unnecessary wars. I’d imagine getting a lot of resistance on that one
April 25th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
Hi Sean, It is great to see sharp and open ideas about ugliness of wars and respecting all side soldiers who laid down, no matter who. Well for short I was in war between Iran and Iraq which has been made legal by a stroke of a politicians pen or either just verbal point!.
My nephew (student of Mechanical Eng at his university) as a result of a Saddam bomb (Iranian called US bombs!) was influenced by bomb waves, event though he finished his degree but he could never have mental health on and off, he studied privately medicine (when he was OK) to discovered if there is remedy for himself he was sure there are none, as a result he suicided.
I have met some Iraqian who were in war by force and scaped to here or anywhere else, they also say it was so ugly. and both sides are sorry now.
As a first generation migrant I salute all soldiers who fell as a result of that war and other recent wars.
Bless all their good spirits
April 25th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
Hi Alan
To many wars (actually, possibly “all” wars) are fought for monetary or power “ego” reasons. Politics, religion, different opinions… One I particularly cringe at is the ownership of the central bank. Generally that changes as soon as the “Roque State” is controlled. I believe Iraq has (had?) 24 million citizens and 40% are (were) children. I fail to see the threat.
War is indeed very evil and senseless.
Bless ALL of their souls.
April 26th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
The “Great war” “the war to end all wars” was fought over many areas of the world as was WWII. My Grandfather was one Australian that served with the 53rd Battallion in Belgium. He like so many others was affected by war in a way that he nor those that were close to him ever recovered from. He died in 1940 at the age of 41 as a result of what happened to him in that war. My father was an orphan and his life was in turn effected deeply by what happened to his father.
My father then served with the Merchant Navy in WWII and survived sea battles in Australian waters and a few of the ships that he served on were sunk after he moved on to another ship.
So in turn war has effected my life.
Not to the extent however of children of Vietnam survivors that were woken throughout their childhood and young adulthood in the middle of the night by their heavily effected and shellshocked and self medicating fathers that would burst into their rooms screaming and smashing things on a fairly regular basis.
War is not something to be glorified, but to remember those that went and served and died, and to have empathy for those that returned, and to realise the full effect of war on their lives and the lives of the generations that follow is something that should never be forgotten.
“LEST WE FORGET”
April 27th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Thank you Mark
Your story is far to familiar to me. I didn’t have family that fought “directly” in the big wars. I did however have family that was involved in the resistance movement in Denmark (I only learned this a few years ago when medals of an great uncle were auctioned at Sothebys in London). My parents lived in occupied Denmark during WWII. My grandfather was in the submarines. They sank the entire fleet before the occupiers could get hold of it. The Danish king refused to display the “Star Of David” on Danish Jews. So the Germans agreed and decided to make an exception for Denmark. Swedish buses went into Germany with Red Cross marks on them and collected hundreds and hundred of people to save them and the German troops let them. Brittish bombers bombed some Danish Schools just incase they were bomb factories… To hear the stories and to hear both sides of the story; it amazes me to see just how polluted the history books are with doctored events, heavily influenced by the victors.
I feel for the people that have to carry the memories and I’ll effects of these event.