Topic > Honoring the Anzacs: understanding the impact of the Anzac legend

The ANZAC legend is a term used to describe the stories, myths and images associated with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) soldiers who fought in the World War I. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey on 25 April 1915 and the event is still celebrated as ANZAC Day, a national day of remembrance in Australia and New Zealand. The ANZAC legend is the key term of this essay, its causes and results are discussed in the following paragraphs. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Conflicts involving European nations were fueled by nationalism and led to the First World War in 1914. Australia had become independent in 1901 but was allied with Britain and automatically agreed to support Britain. The first Australian recruits left Australia at the end of October 1914 but instead of going to Britain the ships were sent to Egypt as it was believed that Australian soldiers would not be able to survive the English climate. The ANZACs landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula on 25 April 1915 to attempt to capture the Dardanelles and an open sea route to Constantinople. The attempt was a failure and many lives were lost in addition to the lack of military victory. The ANZAC legend is now an important part of Australian culture as it recalls the amount of lives lost at Gallipoli. Although the battle on the Western Front was equally courageous, it has not received the same attention and historians could argue that during the Battle of Fromelles, the soldiers personified the ANZAC qualities "resourcefulness, loyalty, camaraderie and endurance that will never be defeated". "Although the Gallipoli campaign influenced the ANZAC legend, the Battle of Fromelles is equally influential to the ANZAC legend. The battle against the Turks at Gallipoli was the main inspiration for the ANZAC legend. Around 27,000 ANZAC soldiers landed in ANZAC Bay on April 25, 1915. The Gallipoli campaign was a defining moment for the soldiers as they showed great courage, endurance, initiative and discipline. War correspondent Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett described the landing at Gallipoli: “They waited neither for orders nor for the boats. reached the beach, but, leaping into the sea, they waded ashore and, forming a sort of rough line, rushed straight into the enemy's rifle flashes.” This quote gave the ANZAC soldiers the image that they were brave and would risk the life for their countries. The Battle of Gallipoli was recognized by the Turks as they shared the sense of pride and unity forged at the Battle of Gallipoli. This famous message shows the esteem in which ANZAC soldiers were held: “Those heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives… Now you lie on the soil of a friendly country. Therefore, rest in peace. For us there is no difference between the Johnnys and the Mehmets, where they lie side by side now here in this country of ours... you, the mothers, who have sent their children from distant lands, dry your tears; your children now lie in our bosom and are at peace. After losing their lives on this earth, they also became our children.' – Turkish ruler Kemal Ataturk. The Battle of Gallipoli was the major influence in the ANZAC legend. And it was recognized more than nettles on the Western Front and in Fromelles. The ANZAC legend was forged at Gallipoli when many ANZACS fought and lost their lives against the Turks. The Gallipoli campaign involved British soldiers, French soldiers and ANZACs against the Turks and Germany. The Gallipoli campaign had been planned for months, but the first.