Why did Australian men want to fight in World War 1?

Answer 1

this is my history essay you.

Why did Australians volunteer to go to war in 1914?

Australians volunteered to go to war for four main reasons. Firstly, Australians where patriotic towards Brittan although it had been 14 years since Brittan had direct control of Australia but we still had close ties to the mother country and they thought that they should help the mother country.

Secondly, peer pressure played a huge part of people joining the army if they did not they would be scorned upon by society.

Thirdly, the advertisements, the government advertised the war as being fun.

Fourthly, Australians had a huge fear of being invaded by Asians as Brittan is so far away it would take many months by boat to get to Australia to protect it.

Firstly, Australians had a strong sense of nationalism. Roughly, 98% of Australians non-indigenous population was of British descent. Therefore, they felt unbelievably devoted towards the British Empire. Most Australians saw them selves as 'Australasian Britons' they believed that they where Australian by name but Briton by heart. Australian men and women felt apart of the British empire just as much as an actual person living in Britton at that time.

Secondly, Peer pressure played a huge roll in men and women from all over Australia volunteering to go to war because if they did not go to war the rest of society would scorn upon them. If men and women didn't volunteer they would receive white feathers in the mail, the while feathers was a symbol of being a chicken that was one act of peer pressure that influenced the choice of going to war for many young men and women from all over Australia.

Thirdly, the government advertised the Great War as being fun and as a new exciting sport. There where many advertisements that begged Australian men and women to go to war, women who went to war where used as nurses but there was a great need for them. men where always volunteering to go to war because the government would give regular pay to soldiers and give great bonus's for any one to join that attracted young men in young families to join so they could support there families.

Fourthly, Australia is in the Asian region of the world, Australia is isolated from the European continents of the world so there was a strong fear of being invaded by the Asian countries. There was nothing stopping them from coming no one else could help Australia so many Australians felt that if they go out and kill many enemy's that it would give a reason for the Asian countries not to invade Australia although at the time the Asians weren't concentrating on Australia there where bigger problems going on in the world.

Men and women volunteered from all over Australia to go to war for many different reasons, the strongest reason for Australians to volunteer to go to war would be because of the strong ties to the mother country and the sense of pride and loyalty towards Brittan.

Shavin30 00:20, 25 Mar 2009 (UTC)Shavin30 00:20, 25 Mar 2009 (UTC)

Answer 2

As a Commonwealth Nation Australia was obliged to assist in WWI. Under command of the United Kingdom, Australia had to comply. This was in some respect a reluctant duty by Australia.