Do You Think Kokoda Should Replace Gallipoli at the Focus for Australia’s Commemoration of War?
ANZAC day is the day on which the ANZAC landing at Gallipoli in 1915 is annually commemorated. There were many soldiers that were killed and injured at Kokoda, but many, many more at Gallipoli. There is also Remembrance Day which is on November 11, and this is to remember all the Australian soldiers who have fought in battle; this includes the Kokoda campaign.
The Battle of Gallipoli was the first major military action fought by Australian soldiers; unfortunately over 8,000 Australian soldiers were killed7. The Battle of Gallipoli took place on the Turkish Peninsula of Gallipoli during World War One, in 19157. This battle was known as the Battle of Gallipoli or the Dardanelles Campaign. On February 19, the first attack on the Dardanelles began when a fleet of British and French vessels including the British battleship Queen Elizabeth, bombarded Turkish artillery along the coast.
Mutsafa Kemal Ataturk was a Turkish Army Officer, reformed statesman, and the first president of Turkey. After the Battle of Gallipoli he made a very inspirational and heart-warming speech to the families who lost their sons during battle, “Heroes who shed their blood and lost their lives! You are now lying in the soil of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between the Johnnies and Mehmets to us where they lie side by side here in this country of ours. You, the mothers, who sent their sons from far away countries wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace. After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons aswell”2.
Many years after the Battle of Gallipoli was the Kokoda Campaign. Unlike the Battle of Gallipoli, Kokoda was a success and only 600 Australian Soldiers were killed and 1680 wounded. The Kokoda Campaign was during World War Two and was a four month struggle which began with the Japanese landing...