Anzac Legend Essay
1: Introduction
Since its inception into public discourse the Anzac Legend has been implemented by politicians to foster nationalism and create an “official” version of Australian history. The legend has arose from government propaganda and highly censored accounts of the Gallipoli campaign: it was promulgated by the federal government originally to promote Australia’s connection to the British Empire and now to promote a historical narrative and Australian identity which contains political utility. This politicized version of the Anzac legend is immune from the criticism to which it had previously been subjected and thus is ahistorical.
Foundational period:
The tone of the Anzac legend is similar to that of official recruitment propaganda produced during WW1. This propaganda projected the image of the masculine European-Australian “digger” soldier bravely volunteering. The account of the Anzac legend can be traced to the fervent and highly censored reporting of British journalist Ellis …show more content…
The Anzac legend was glorified following the war by conservative media and loyalist politicians but the official narrative was promulgated by Bean in his Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, which advertised the Anzacs as egalitarian volunteers committed to mateship.
The legend served two purposes in the early 20th century, it invested meaning to the war and created a sense of nationality and pride within the newly formed country. Politically the Anzac legend was useful for conservative loyalists as it reinforced Australia’s connection to the British Empire. Criticism of the Anzac legend arose during the 1960s, hostility to conscription, student protests and the rise of second-wave feminism challenged publicly held opinions of Anzac
Since its inception into public discourse the Anzac Legend has been implemented by politicians to foster nationalism and create an “official” version of Australian history. The legend has arose from government propaganda and highly censored accounts of the Gallipoli campaign: it was promulgated by the federal government originally to promote Australia’s connection to the British Empire and now to promote a historical narrative and Australian identity which contains political utility. This politicized version of the Anzac legend is immune from the criticism to which it had previously been subjected and thus is ahistorical.
Foundational period:
The tone of the Anzac legend is similar to that of official recruitment propaganda produced during WW1. This propaganda projected the image of the masculine European-Australian “digger” soldier bravely volunteering. The account of the Anzac legend can be traced to the fervent and highly censored reporting of British journalist Ellis …show more content…
The Anzac legend was glorified following the war by conservative media and loyalist politicians but the official narrative was promulgated by Bean in his Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-1918, which advertised the Anzacs as egalitarian volunteers committed to mateship.
The legend served two purposes in the early 20th century, it invested meaning to the war and created a sense of nationality and pride within the newly formed country. Politically the Anzac legend was useful for conservative loyalists as it reinforced Australia’s connection to the British Empire. Criticism of the Anzac legend arose during the 1960s, hostility to conscription, student protests and the rise of second-wave feminism challenged publicly held opinions of Anzac