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    ANZAC Day

    Please excuse a really off-topic post here, about something that everyone should think about.

    There is a pretty good chance that Abby's mention of Anzac Day will not ring many bells with North American listmembers. This is very, very sad. During the nine months of the Gallipoli campaign in 1915-16, troops from Australia and New Zealand suffered nearly 300,000 casualties in some of the most brutal, miserable warfare ever seen. Compare this to the ~406,000 Americans killed during ALL of WW II.

    Also consider what the total populations of Australia and NZ were at that time, compared to the U.S. population in the 1940's. The ratio of Gallipoli losses to overall population must have been horrendous.

    Anzac Day is something we should all remember.

    #2
    I know something of military history, but I did not realize until now the proportional impact that those losses had on Australia and New Zealand. From what I have read and seen it was a ghastly event. No one should forget.

    thank you for reminding us.

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      #3
      I know of it from the History channel we get here , it must have been a terrible event in Australian and New Zealand for the families at that time and no one should forget .

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        #4
        War: a massacre of people who don't know each other for the profit of people who know each other but don't massacre each other (Paul Valery)


        It is pointless to start counting casualties, ratios of casualties. One dead is one too much.

        (btw the Anzac casualties had been around 34,000 with around 12,000 fatalities)

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          #5
          Now I understand Eric Boggle's "Waltzing Matilda" a little better. Thanks.

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            #6
            Originally posted by whooziss
            During the nine months of the Gallipoli campaign in 1915-16, troops from Australia and New Zealand suffered nearly 300,000 casualties.
            Where did that 300,000 figure come from, and are you sure it is right?
            This website gives:

            British: 205,000 casualties (43,000 killed)
            ANZAC: 33,600 casualties (over 1/3 killed, i.e. about 12000))
            French: 47,000 casualties (5000 killed)
            Turkish: (est) 250,000 casualties (65,000 killed)

            The event was remembered last week with a dignified ceromony at Gallipoli, where, for the first time, the Turkish and Allied dead were both honoured.

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              #7
              the french number is interesting....considering alot of the fighting was on their land.

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                #8
                Please, lets not get into a counting game here. I think we can all agree that the numbers are hard to comprehend and what they represent is more so.

                Timbit

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                  #9
                  I saw Peter Wier's movie Gallipoli back in the 80's and it drove the pointlessness of war pretty deep into my skull. Today as I listened to the NPR report on Anzac day I couldn't help but think again of the senselessness of war. I know that the reasons for war are often noble and just, but for so many lives? And for those wars that are not noble and just......

                  From the 'not so frozen north anymore' - bif, thinking of those lads dying far from home.

                  (and listening to "War (what is it good for)" by Rush Hour....... "absolutely nothin' !")

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                    #10
                    As noble a sentiment as this thread is, offtopic subjects belong in Mundane Chatter.

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                      #11
                      id say 6 million dead jews is as good an excuse as any to go to war....not that that was the reason we went but you get the drift...... like it or not, sometimes its necessary..... as little as possible preferably. id rather settle disputes on the rugby field, or soccer(no i wont call it football) ) field rather than in the trenches, but some countries dont play these sports.

                      having a no war sticker on your car is like having a yay ethnic cleansing sticker on your bumper, you cant have it both ways. the best you can do is vote and lobby the government to do what is just. however if you keep voting the likes of bush and howard in (you know who you are!!!) then unjust wars is what yr gonna get.

                      p.s. saw gallipoli on tv last night, the electronic music stills gives me the shits but it is a very powerful movie.... and i always get watery eyes at the end....cant help it.

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