[HPFGU-OTChatter] Re: VE Day

[Shaun Hately]

On 9 May 2005 at 14:41, Ladi lyndi wrote:

> However, I also think that the reason there is less emphasis on VE and
> VJ day in the US is because of our Memorial Day - the day we honor all
> those who have died in service to our country.  It is at that time,
> the end of May, that emphasis is on the different wars, from the civil
> war onward and the days the wars ended.  It's at that time that my
> history courses focused particularly on WWII.
> 
> A question to those who live in Australia - is VJ day widely
> celebrated in Australia as opposed to VE day?  That asked, the war
> memorial in Canberra is the best I've ever been to.  I recommend
> anyone who has a chance to walk the avenue and then check out the war
> memorial and museum.  Australians know how to do things right!

The Australian War Memorial in Canberra is indeed very impressive - 
personally though as a memorial I much prefer the Shrine of 
Rememberance in Melbourne. The AWM has an excellent museum as part of 
it, of course - the Shrine's museum is much smaller - it's strength 
is as a memorial.

The Shrine was erected in the years after World War I. It is a very 
impressive structure in beautiful grounds located just south of the 
central city of Melbourne - if you stand in Swanston Street (which is 
the main north-south thoroughfare through central Melbourne and look 
south, the Shrine is in perfect alignment.

It has been added to to commemorate Australian involvement in other 
wars over the years, but the most impressive thing to me is one of 
the oldest. An inscription on the western face:

LET ALL MEN KNOW THAT THIS IS HOLY GROUND. THIS SHRINE, ESTABLISHED 
IN THE HEARTS OF MEN AS ON THE SOLID EARTH, COMMEMORATES A PEOPLE'S 
FORTITUDE AND SACRIFICE. YE THEREFORE THAT COME AFTER, GIVE 
REMEMBRANCE.

The Shrine always chokes me up.

To answer your question... Australia observes both VE and VJ day to 
and extent, and of the two VJ Day is probably a little more 
prominent.

But both are overshadowed to a great extent by ANZAC Day, which is 
the 25th April each year - so just before VE Day. ANZAC Day is the 
day Australians commemorate all our war dead. It is the anniversary 
of the Gallipoli landings of 1915 which were the first time 
Australian (and New Zealand) troops went into battle as 
representatives of independent nations - both Australians and New 
Zealanders have fought in previous wars, but they were colonial 
forces - Australia achieved status as an independent dominion in 
1901, and New Zealand in 1907.

ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps. This is the 
day for us. Thousands of Australians and New Zealanders make a 
pilgrimage each year to Gallipoli for ANZAC Day (the Turks are 
remarkably hospitable in allowing such high level commemorations of 
what was, after all, an invasion of their nation) and it is 
commemorated at home as well.

In a sense, ANZAC is at the core of our nation - and as such it 
overshadows all other commemorations. So perhaps in that regard it is 
similar to the way you describe the US Memorial Day.

Remembrance Day (11th November) is commemorated in a more low key way 
- but it is intended as a memorial to the war dead of all nations.

Walking to the Shrine before dawn on ANZAC Day for the memorials... 
it's a powerful thing. It always has been for me, but especially 
since my father died - his death was linked to his service in Borneo 
and Vietnam. Walking on the grounds of the Shrine... it is truly Holy 
Ground.

Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at alphalink.com.au | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
Where am I: Frankston, Victoria, Australia