ANZAC Day

On 25 April every year Australians commemorate Anzac Day. It is Australia's sacred day. The day has the same significance in New Zealand, Australia's counterpart in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (the ANZACs) at Gallipoli.

What is it Australians commemorate on Anzac Day?

Australia and New Zealand at war

On 25 April 1915 Australia and New Zealand were at war. Along with the Allies (the major Allied Powers were the British Empire [Britain and her colonies and dominions], France and the Russian Empire), the ANZACs were fighting against the Central Powers (Germany, Turkey [then known as the Ottoman Empire], and Austria-Hungary).

In response to a request for help from Russia, which was being battered by the Turks in the Caucasus, the Allies decided to begin a campaign which they hoped would distract Turkey from their attack on Russia.

The plan was for the Allies to attack and take the Gallipoli Peninsula, on Turkey's Aegean coast, from which point the Allies believed they could take control of the Dardanelles - a 67 kilometre (42 mile) strait which connects the Aegean Sea with the Sea of Marmara - and lay siege to Turkey's main city, Istanbul (then Constantinople)....continue reading