Essay on Victory for Australia And Its People

Introduction

During the first world war, Australia was deeply entrenched in the battle; unfortunately for the country, the year began wrong for them. The Australian military was exhausted and under a lot of pressure from the opposing forces. Few people were willing to join the military while the opposing force was gaining strength each day. Despite the challenges that the military was facing, there was proof that many more wars were about to be fought. Although the Australian military had won by the end of the year, there were many more challenges that they had to overcome to achieve their target (Butler 1938). On 8th August 1918, the Australian military moved towards the Villers Bretonneux as the rival forces were advancing towards them. The military did not believe in waiting for the enemy but rather in charging forward.

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The army was armed with some artillery including a tank from Britain, and horse-drawn artillery. Some of the pictures show a group of German prisoners carrying a man on a stretcher. The image is one of the famous work that was later referred to as the black day in Australian. There were thousands of people who were killed in this day. Women, children, and soldiers were both severely affected during this period. However, the Australians did not give up, and they continued fighting. The spirit of the people kept the soldiers going throughout the tough time. The ability of the army, the government and the people are the factors that can be considered as an achievement of the Australian people during this period. The desire to win the war is also another achievement of the people despite the challenges.

The year 1918 is also considered a year of victory for Australia and its people when we read a letter from a soldier to the people. The soldier explains how they were out in the open when suddenly they were attacked by enemy fire. He describes the noise and horror that at the battlegrounds. The enemy did not only use traditional weapons but also fired poisonous gas at the military. The soldiers were however prepared for this kind of action and the quickly put on their equipment to avoid inhaling the deadly gas. Some of the new soldiers did not understand the severity of the situation, and they removed their masks because it was difficult to see through the smoke and helmet glass. Those who took this action chocked to death because of the fumes that they inhaled.

Those who did not die struggled to follow the other platoons while struggling to fight and keep the honor of Australia. The weapon was new to the soldiers, and the Australian army lost many men in the confrontation. According to the soldier's letter, he did not give up but pushed his army towards the enemy. At some point, he even risks his life by removing his helmet and shouting orders (Butler 1938). The action put him at risk but he did not care as long as they won the battle. It is his bravery that made the other troops confident that they could take on the enemy. Although the Australian army did not have gas to retaliate they did not retreat. The bravery of the soldiers despite being disadvantages ensured they won the won. The activities of that day are one thing that Australians are proud to celebrate and mention.

Pictures from the Australian war memorial show soldiers laying in the open after they were gassed. The soldiers do not have any respirators and are still with their contaminated clothes. The situation made it hard for the soldiers to get well because they were exposing themselves further to the effects of the gases. The overcrowded compound at Bois I'Abbe indicates the lack of resources and lack of knowledge about the gas that was being used (The Australian War Memorial). Nobodody had informed the soldiers on what to do in case they came across such a situation. The soldiers should have removed their contaminated clothes and put on breathing mask to reduce the effect of the gas. The lack of knowledge meant that the soldiers kept on dying while others were too weak to continue fighting or rejoining the other soldiers at the front lines.

Australians celebrate this year because it showed their resilience to move on despite the hardships. The deaths of the soldiers meant that the generals had to fight with a limited number of the army. However, the reduction of the number of soldiers did not reduce the morale of the soldiers. The support that they received from the public and the government meant that they face the enemy bravely. The year was essential because it proved to the people that with the right attitude and mindset anything is possible. The gas of the soldiers was also the biggest test that the soldiers had faced since the begging of the war. The methods used on them was barbaric, but the soldiers did not use the same tactics. The ability to refrain one self-was yet another reason why the Australian is proud of the year 1918.

On August 8, 1918, the Australian battalion advanced to Harbonniere to liberate the city. The army had set this as its second objection. The pictures from the Australian war memorial shows a large smoke that obstructs the camera clarity. According to the soldiers who were present, the terrain was tough, and the weather was bad. However, the people of Australia are proud of this day because the soldiers were able to achieve their target despite facing the challenges in France. Most of the soldiers died during the war because of exhaustion and diseases. Every soldier during that period who survived has a shocking story to tell about the war and how they barely survived the war. As the enemy shells kept being fired on them so did their number reduces with each passing day. The soldiers were however determined to achieve their objective and kept going forward.

Australia remembers and celebrates this day because of what their soldiers were able to accomplish. Although the decks were stack against them, they still managed to accomplish what they set out to do. The death tolls kept on rising as the soldiers moved towards their enemy (The Australian War Memorial). The natural phenomenal was having a negative effect on the soldiers. Some of the soldiers were not used to the weather, and they started feeling the effect. The diseases and the tough weather reduced the soldiers' ability to face their enemy. However, Australians celebrate this year because their soldiers were able to defeat the enemy despite the tough weather. Unfortunately for the soldiers, most of the people who went to this war did not come back alive. The Australians, therefore, celebrate this year as a tribute to their brave soldiers.

Conclusion

Finally, the country celebrates this year as a way of honoring everyone that contributed to the winning of the war. The war period saw thousands of people losing their lives. Both civilians and soldiers played a critical role in the war. As a result, all of them lost their lives since the war does not pick who to hurt. The term missing in action is common in Australia because of the soldiers and other volunteers that were killed defending their country. Of all the people that died during the war, at least a third were recorded as missing. The families of this people did not get a chance to say farewell to their loved ones. The war took a toll in almost every family in Australia.

The year is therefore essential to the Australians because it is the period that saw the advancement of the German troops halted. The reinforcement that the British army receives from the Australians meant that the Germans could not inflict more damage to the allied forces (The Australian War Memorial). The protection of the Villers-Bretonneux was essential in this objective. The year was, therefore, a combination of different things during this period. The loss of lives, the bravery of the soldiers and the halting of the Germans was the key reason the year is essential. Other achievements include the unity that the people showed as the war went on and the support they gave to their soldiers which ultimately played a critical role in the morale of the army.

Works Cited

The Australian War Memorial. "1918 - Dernancourt and Villers-Bretonneux: Halting the Germans | The Australian War Memorial." Home | The Australian War Memorial, www.awm.gov.au/visit/exhibitions/1918/battles/dernancourt. Accessed 11 June 2018.

Berckman, Evelyn. No Known Grave. 3rd ed., Hamilton, 1975.

Butler, A G. The Australian Army Medical Services in the War of 1914-1918: Vol. 1, Gallipoli, Palestine and New Guinea. Australian War Memorial, 1938.

---. The Official History of the Australian Army Medical Services in the War of 1914-1918: Vol. 1. Australian War Memorial, 1938.