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Throughout the years that the history/culture wars debates continued and proliferated,
energized debates continued to be constructed by both the politically-left and politically-right,
a point taken up by Anna Clark who drew parallels between the hysteria caused during the
Cold War era and the oppositional debates exchanged by those from differing ideological
standpoints:
The belief that a dangerous revisionism was descending over the nation was
widespread. Like red communist arrows advancing across 1950s maps of Asia, an
insidious ideological threat was seeping into homes throughout Australia via
newspapers, television and even school texts. Critical history was harmful, wrong
and increasingly prominent. (A. Clark, 2002, p. 3)
A1.6.1 Representations of the ANZAC legend.
It would be remiss, in an overview charting the significant aspects of the history/culture wars,
not to mention the impact of the debates on the so-named ANZAC legend 18 . There are many
other topics that have also infiltrated or indirectly influenced the history/culture wars, such as
the Republican Movement, Australian relationships with Asia, and recent arrival immigrant
experiences in Australia. However, it is the ANZAC legend that is especially significant for
the profile it has had in the conduct of the history/culture wars and its connectedness to the
general Australian public. The raised profile of the ANZAC legend (and in particular
contextualised in the role of the infantry of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps in
Gallipoli, Turkey during WWI) can largely be attributed to John Howard, as aligned with his
‘three cheers’ view of Australian history. It is evidenced through a number of key activities
undertaken by a growing number of Australians each year. First, travelling to Gallipoli which
is increasingly portrayed as being a rite of passage—a type of pilgrimage—for young
Australians; and second, increased attendance at annual ANZAC day events, services and
commemorations, in particular the sombre Dawn Service.
18 ANZAC Day is held annually on April 25. The Australian War Memorial describes it in the following way,
“...is probably Australia's most important national occasion. It marks the anniversary of the first major military
action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. ANZAC stands for Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps…Although the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing
Constantinople and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand actions during the
campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as the "ANZAC
legend" became an important part of the national identity of both nations. This shaped the ways they viewed
both their past and future.” (Australian War Memorial, 2009, 1, 3)
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