What's Wrong with ANZAC?: The Militarisation of Australian History

Front Cover
University of NSW Press, 2010 - History - 183 pages

Brave and controversial, this account argues that Australians' collective obsession with the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) has distorted their perception of national history. Delving into the history of ANZAC and the mythologies surrounding it, this detailed record explores topics such as the formation of Australia's national holiday--ANZAC Day--and the way in which the spirit of ANZAC is taught in the nation's classrooms. Ultimately, this informative narrative claims that ANZAC has become a conservative political force in Australia and questions whether ANZAC'S renowned foreign battles were worth all of the bloodshed. Daring, intelligent, and thought-provoking, this is a must-read for those interested in Australian or military history.

About the author (2010)

Marilyn Lake is a professor of history at La Trobe University. She is the author of The Limits of Hope: Soldier Settlement in Victoria 1915–38, FAITH: Faith Bandler, Gentle Activist, and Getting Equal: The History of Feminism in Australia. She is the coauthor of Creating a Nation. Henry Reynolds is a professor of history at the University of Tasmania and the author of a number of books, including The Other Side of the Frontier: Aboriginal Resistance to the European Invasion of Australia, Frontier: Aborigines, Settlers and Land, and Why Weren't We Told?: A Personal Search for the Truth About Our History.

Bibliographic information