It commemorates those who gave their lives to fight for our country (not all of them had to die to give their life). And if not our actual country, our freedom. As dictated by those in power.
Andrew has a link to a clip of the song that for many of us, epitomises the Vietnam war from an Australian perspective. Please go and watch the clip. The introduction says it all and the images that accompany the song should break your heart. They were so young.
I am old enough to remember being at school when the lottery was drawn to see who would be sent next. Fortunately the war ended shortly after. Himself is old enough to have been conscripted had his number come up. Friends of his were less fortunate. I doubt anyone who went came back the same.
This was a very unpopular war and for a long time the veterans were treated appalling by the government and society as well. People hurled abuse at and turned their backs. It took a long time for this attitude to change. No wonder so many of the poor bastards suffer from PTSD.
Obviously ANZAC day is about all the wars that this country has fought in from the second Boer war through to the current day and the awful thing is that we will keep commemorating our diggers into the future as there is no end to the evil that creates the need for war.
I just pray that we never again need to force men and women to join the armed services. And I give thanks to those who choose to join to keep us safe.
Some songs and war go together. The oldies at the nursing home ‘perk up’ when certain ones are played….my mum and dad always associated Vera Lynn ‘White cliffs of Dover- We’ll meet again’ with their wartime memories.
ReplyDeleteThe really old WW1 ‘trench songs’ like It’s a long way to Tipperary or Take me back to dear old Blighty we’re still sung but they liked the modern ones plus big band stuff Glen Miller.
I must be strange because I’m familiar with all of them - old and really old as well as those from the Vietnam era.
I must be old also as I remember those songs. My Dad was a farmer during WWll in England, so he did not go to fight, his contribution was food. He was in the Home Guard in the village we lived in.
DeletePeople who go to war, never come back the same as they left, it they come back.
We shall remember them.
I think we are familiar because our parents listened to them. I wonder what will be remembered from the more recent wars?
DeleteWe continue to send young people to their deaths; it's heartbreaking and fucks people up for the rest of their lives, as it did to my own dad.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the link to Andrew's blog, the video made me cry and reminded me of this song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0LgjBauf70
That is a beautiful song, Pixie. It was good to be reminded of that Christmas. It just goes to show we are all the same underneath. Those lads didn't want to be there.
DeleteI tried to comment twice yesterday. Try again today.
ReplyDeleteThat was very nicely expressed and the photo a good choice.
My father had to do National Service but he was of age between the end of the Korean War and the start of the Vietnam War.
A relatively safe time to do Nasho but still scary for all concerned.
DeleteIt’s an emotional day to be sure
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately watching world events, I can see it all happening again.
Humans, it seems, just don’t learn