Remembrance Day-Lest We Forget

[Kangaroos4eva]

I know some of you will cringe, but l thought appropriate that we should be serious in this place now and again, especially for important events.

This year, the 11th of November marks the 97th anniversary of the Armistice which ended the First World War (1914–18). Each year on this day Australians observe one minute’s silence at 11 am, in memory of those who died or suffered in all wars and armed conflicts.

Please take a moment today, when you can, to remember all those Australian's that have fought and died for this country.

Lest we Forget

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.

 

[Wiggo4PM]

Your best fred yet.

Lest we Forget.

 

[Tyler Durden007]

Stupid, stupid war that didn't need to happen (well what war isn't stupid really). So many young men that thought they were off on a big adventure only to be dropped into hell. Winston Churchill is held up as a hero PM of the 2nd world war, but he was the "genius" behind the Australian siege of Gallipoli.

For those that want a perspective on it from a partially different view, read Ben Elton's "The First Casualty" and "Time and Time again" brilliant books

 

[Wiggo4PM]

Stupid, stupid war that didn't need to happen (well what war isn't stupid really). So many young men that thought they were off on a big adventure only to be dropped into hell. Winston Churchill is held up as a hero PM of the 2nd world war, but he was the "genius" behind the Australian siege of Gallipoli.

For those that want a perspective on it from a partially different view, read Ben Elton's "The First Casualty" and "Time and Time again" brilliant books

Agreed, but the Dardanelles campaign did have some merit, much like Market garden which were both **** ups in the end and sad. Gallipoli was only 1 failure in a long line of failures before we started kicking ass until The Somme etc. I had a lot of family involved and that conflict has always made me kinda research into it more because well, we are inundated with American propaganda and we kicked ass in ww1.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Stupid, stupid war that didn't need to happen (well what war isn't stupid really). So many young men that thought they were off on a big adventure only to be dropped into hell. Winston Churchill is held up as a hero PM of the 2nd world war, but he was the "genius" behind the Australian siege of Gallipoli.

For those that want a perspective on it from a partially different view, read Ben Elton's "The First Casualty" and "Time and Time again" brilliant books

I know that most of the wars, with the exception of the Second World War (even then under Great Power guidance), we have fought in service of a Great Power in Great Britain or the United States of America, but our soldiers (and brave nurses) fought for what they thought was the right thing to do (just like many Germans, British and American soldiers in all their conflicts thought as well). To protect their nation, its interests and to secure a better future for them and their children. No matter what your thoughts are on politics, history or foreign relations, our soldiers, including the nurses that died trying to save them, fought for what they believed was to safeguard our great country's future.


All of our wars has been guided by or triggered by allegiance to a Great Power in Great Britain or the USA, it's a really scary thought that we are still going to war to secure the protection from a Great Power, in the USA, in Iraq yet again. We just keep repeating the past and we never quite learn from it. You should see how much of our foreign trade debt is caused by our defence purchases from the USA, it's a crazy high percentage, anyway, l digress.

 

[vjknight]

My location.

The 16th Btn Aust Rules Cup Winners France 1918

Footy on the battlefields.

For many, kept them sane.

 

[Wiggo4PM]

I know that most of the wars, with the exception of the Second World War (even then under Great Power guidance), we have fought in service of a Great Power in Great Britain or the United States of America, but our soldiers (and brave nurses) fought for what they thought was the right thing to do (just like many Germans, British and American soldiers in all their conflicts thought as well). To protect their nation, its interests and to secure a better future for them and their children. No matter what your thoughts are on politics, history or foreign relations, our soldiers, including the nurses that died trying to save them, fought for what they believed was to safeguard our great country's future.


All of our wars has been guided by or triggered by allegiance to a Great Power in Great Britain or the USA, it's a really scary thought that we are still going to war to secure the protection from a Great Power, in the USA, in Iraq yet again. We just keep repeating the past and we never quite learn from it. You should see how much of our foreign trade debt is caused by our defence purchases from the USA, it's a crazy high percentage, anyway, l digress.

To be fair, we keep going to fight because they keep requesting us as we are that good.

 

[Wosh]

Lest We Forget

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Agreed, but the Dardanelles campaign did have some merit, much like Market garden which were both **** ups in the end and sad. Gallipoli was only 1 failure in a long line of failures before we started kicking ass until The Somme etc. I had a lot of family involved and that conflict has always made me kinda research into it more because well, we are inundated with American propaganda and we kicked ass in ww1.

Market Garden was a mixture British arrogance, American annoyance (Patton's) and the German's defensive tenacity and organisational skills after the Falaise Gap losses. Yea the Dardanelles campaign did have merit in shortening the war, but British arrogance at the high command level about the Turk being an inferior fighter and refusal to pull out despite crippling losses screwed that campaign. We fought extremely well in the First World War and earned the respect of the Germans, Monash is a very good study if you ever want to look at Australian personalities.

 

[Tyler Durden007]

I know that most of the wars, with the exception of the Second World War (even then under Great Power guidance), we have fought in service of a Great Power in Great Britain or the United States of America, but our soldiers (and brave nurses) fought for what they thought was the right thing to do (just like many Germans, British and American soldiers in all their conflicts thought as well). To protect their nation, its interests and to secure a better future for them and their children. No matter what your thoughts are on politics, history or foreign relations, our soldiers, including the nurses that died trying to save them, fought for what they believed was to safeguard our great country's future.


All of our wars has been guided by or triggered by allegiance to a Great Power in Great Britain or the USA, it's a really scary thought that we are still going to war to secure the protection from a Great Power, in the USA, in Iraq yet again. We just keep repeating the past and we never quite learn from it. You should see how much of our foreign trade debt is caused by our defence purchases from the USA, it's a crazy high percentage, anyway, l digress.

We are allied to them for 2 reasons - 1) common interests and long standing relationships, 2) We have no capacity to defend ourselves in case of invasion and need their military. This is why we should remain a part of the commonwealth and not become a republic.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

To be fair, we keep going to fight because they keep requesting us as we are that good.

We are, but we tend to invite ourselves more than they ask, Vietnam is a big example of this. We only pursue our interests in an alliance context.

 

[A Cut Above]

Great thread Kangaroos4eva. So important we learn the lessons of history and honor the sacrifices of previous generations. I prefer Remembrance day to ANZAC day since its harder for politicians to hijack it to stir up nationalism to justify further overseas military action.

Tyler Durden007's spot on as usual. War is a pointless endeavor that costs young lives and makes rich men richer. However since most humans are stupid enough to believe whatever they're told because years of social programming has brainwashed them never to question "authority" figures we'll inevitably keep falling for the same trap our American 'friends' dig for us. At least Obama somehow found the backbone to stand up to Netanyahu's insistence on a war against Iran, but its not like the Middle East's short on other juicy oil-rich targets and I'm sure the spindoctors haven't worked their arses off painting ISIS as the new boogeyman for nothing.

we should remain a part of the commonwealth and not become a republic.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

We are allied to them for 2 reasons - 1) common interests and long standing relationships, 2) We have no capacity to defend ourselves in case of invasion and need their military. This is why we should remain a part of the commonwealth and not become a republic.

3) Most of our defence logistics comes from the USA, in particular aircraft ammunition, systems and missiles, which is expensive as hell. Most academic defence debates are centered on military self-reliance and local industry. The decision to switch to the Krupp submarine from the small Japanese one is important, as it'll be built in Australia, more jobs, grow the industry and give us a sub with strategic rather than tactical capabilities.

Britain plays next to no role in our defence planning nowadays (especially after the British withdrawal after that crap with the Suez canal and focus on the European Union), only in Intelligence and joint operations do we interact with the poms. Even if we become a republic, we'll still be part of the British commonwealth, there's dozens of republics that participate in the Commonwealth games, unless of course we go full American and abandon the commonwealth, which l doubt, but could happen.

No more political talk K4E.

 

[Wiggo4PM]

We are, but we tend to invite ourselves more than they ask, Vietnam is a big example of this. We only pursue our interests in an alliance context.

To a point yes, imo, its our special forces that they request more so, same as in vietnam. We barely lost anyone and knew how to fight in the jungle - US didnt. But yeah I digress, I had Breaker Morant downloading the last few days as its been a while, I know, previous conflict and all but one of those conflicts I dont know too much about through being a lazy ass. But did know of the boer war partially. Also agreed on your last comment you quoted.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

To a point yes, imo, its our special forces that they request more so, same as in vietnam. We barely lost anyone and knew how to fight in the jungle - US didnt. But yeah I digress, I had Breaker Morant downloading the last few days as its been a while, I know, previous conflict and all but one of those conflicts I dont know too much about through being a lazy ass. But did know of the boer war partially. Also agreed on your last comment you quoted.

The Boer War is very interesting to study, there were quite a few Australians involved in the conflict and the Boers fought particularly well for three years.

 

[Damp Squarie]

Remember Women In Wartime today as well.
Their anguish on the home front must have been epic at times.
Their efforts on the home front were noble also; providing care packages of jam, socks, etc and just hanging tough.

 

[Gough]

Forty years on. Maintain the rage.

 

[Cmarsh]

Forty years on. Maintain the rage.

Lest We Forget

 

[royals1922]

Go to a thread on the history board called footballers who fought in World War 1, which I am involved in .

Real reports , contemporary newspapers and still more names being added.

Lest we forget.

 

[Beats28772]

 

[Baldur]

Its fashionable to say the Great War was pointless and often it seems so. But the world we live in was created by the Great War, it destroyed the old order of emperors and empires. What it was really about was Germany and what sort of Europe would form around the now united Germanys. An important question as at that time Europe ruled much of the world.

Most think that Nazi Germany was some sort of aberration, it was not. All the elements that made up the Nazi regime were present in imperial Germany, the Nazis just put them of steroids.

The EU is a rather peaceful place, without the Great War it would not be nor is it likely that a Europe controlled by imperial Germany would have given up on ruling the rest of the world without a fight. The world is a much better place than it could have been and Australia did more than its share.

 

[royals1922]

Its fashionable to say the Great War was pointless and often it seems so. But the world we live in was created by the Great War, it destroyed the old order of emperors and empires. What it was really about was Germany and what sort of Europe would form around the now united Germanys. An important question as at that time Europe ruled much of the world.

Most think that Nazi Germany was some sort of aberration, it was not. All the elements that made up the Nazi regime were present in imperial Germany, the Nazis just put them of steroids.

The EU is a rather peaceful place, without the Great War it would not be nor is it likely that a Europe controlled by imperial Germany would have given up on ruling the rest of the world without a fight. The world is a much better place than it could have been and Australia did more than its share.

I don't share the fashionable view of World War 1that others have. That said , this is not a day for politics but remembrance.

 

[Exodia]

If it weren't for you soldiers, this country would probably be a new Japan.

We take everything for granted and usually forget just how many people were sacrificed for the good of this country and to ensure our future.
May you rest in peace and until the end, we will never forget your brave and loyal service.