PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...
PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ... PDF (Whole Thesis) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern ...
Moving beyond a simplistic discourse of Australia ‘coming of age’ in WWI, Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs links Australia’s involvement in WWI to a more complex discourse of dissociation with Great Britain through a very emotive evaluation of British battle field decision making. First, the textbook discusses Australia’s “relations with the Mother Country” (Cowie, 1980, p. 204) as contributing to Australia’s growing national independence through the war time prime minister Hughes’ ability to convince the British government to allow Australia representation in war decision making (see Source 7.90). Source 7.90. Australian representation in decision making during WWI extract from Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980, p. 204). The textbook then applies an increased level of emotive language used to communicate reasons for the increasing dissociation of Australia from Great Britain (see Source 7.91). Source 7.91. Emotive language to communicate Australia’s increasing dissociation from Great Britain extract from Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980, pp. 204-205). Using emotive terms such as “dreadful carnage”; “destroyed...the sense of patriotic enthusiasm with which Australians had previously supported the British cause”; “...lives squandered in the muddy battle fields”; and “unimaginative and suicidal tactics of British generals” (Cowie, 1980, p. 204), this textbook overtly articulates to students a perspective of blame to the British for wrong doing and this then acts as a justification for Australia dissociating from Great Britain. The use of such emotive language is unusual both for this author, Cowie and for the genre style of textbooks more broadly which are usually more staid in their language use. Although Cowie does not overtly articulate his perspective, through the choice of words used, it is clear that all blame for Australia’s losses is attributed to Great Britain, in particular through the emphasis of failure of battles through the term “suicidal” (Cowie, 1980, p. 204). 390
7.19 Category 6: Conscription 7.19.1 Discourses of rejecting British requests and dissociation through conscription referenda. The modern world emerges (Lawrence et al., 1986) includes an overview of the two referenda held during WWI to decide whether Australia should compulsorily conscript men into the armed forces for overseas service. The two referenda, the first held in 1916 and the second in 1917 were both initiated by Prime Minister Billy Hughes as a result of pressure from Great Britain to provide more troops for the battles in Europe (see Source 7.92 for an overview of conscription issues). Source 7.92. Overview of the conscription issues extract from The modern world emerges (Lawrence et al., 1986, p. 302). Connections to British heritages, as represented in this textbook, relate primarily to the two sides of the conscription debate—those who opposed and those who supported conscription. In particular, the point made by the Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Daniel Mannix highlights the complexities of Australia’s relationship with Great Britain, with the textbook stating: “The ruthless suppression by the British of the Irish during the rebellion in Ireland in 1916 was reason enough not to support the war effort” (Lawrence et al., 1986, p. 300). No further information of this suppression or rebellion is mentioned, however it does point to a multitude of perspectives related to Australia’s connection—emotional and political—to Great Britain. Spanning time (Power et al., 1985) also briefly covers the conscription issue. Pressure from Great Britain requesting extra troops is not mentioned and barely alluded to in an extract that discusses the two conscription referenda held during WWI. Although the extract states the conscription debates were “...one of the most bitter arguments in Australia’s history” (Power et al., 1985, p. 224) little information is provided of how these debates played out and little connection to British heritages apart from one dot point, stating “Irish 391
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Moving beyond a simplistic discourse <strong>of</strong> Australia ‘coming <strong>of</strong> age’ in WWI, Crossroads:<br />
Asia and Australia in world affairs links Australia’s involvement in WWI to a more complex<br />
discourse <strong>of</strong> dissociation with Great Britain through a very emotive evaluation <strong>of</strong> British<br />
battle field decision making. First, the textbook discusses Australia’s “relations with the<br />
Mother Country” (Cowie, 1980, p. 204) as contributing to Australia’s growing national<br />
independence through the war time prime minister Hughes’ ability to convince the British<br />
government to allow Australia representation in war decision making (see Source 7.90).<br />
Source 7.90. Australian representation in decision making during WWI extract from<br />
Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs (Cowie, 1980, p. 204).<br />
The textbook then applies an increased level <strong>of</strong> emotive language used to communicate<br />
reasons for the increasing dissociation <strong>of</strong> Australia from Great Britain (see Source 7.91).<br />
Source 7.91. Emotive language to communicate Australia’s increasing dissociation<br />
from Great Britain extract from Crossroads: Asia and Australia in world affairs<br />
(Cowie, 1980, pp. 204-205).<br />
Using emotive terms such as “dreadful carnage”; “destroyed...the sense <strong>of</strong> patriotic<br />
enthusiasm with which Australians had previously supported the British cause”; “...lives<br />
squandered in the muddy battle fields”; and “unimaginative and suicidal tactics <strong>of</strong> British<br />
generals” (Cowie, 1980, p. 204), this textbook overtly articulates to students a perspective <strong>of</strong><br />
blame to the British for wrong doing and this then acts as a justification for Australia<br />
dissociating from Great Britain. The use <strong>of</strong> such emotive language is unusual both for this<br />
author, Cowie and for the genre style <strong>of</strong> textbooks more broadly which are usually more staid<br />
in their language use. Although Cowie does not overtly articulate his perspective, through the<br />
choice <strong>of</strong> words used, it is clear that all blame for Australia’s losses is attributed to Great<br />
Britain, in particular through the emphasis <strong>of</strong> failure <strong>of</strong> battles through the term “suicidal”<br />
(Cowie, 1980, p. 204).<br />
390
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