SUBJECTS: History
YEARS: 9–10
Why do we observe a minute's silence during Anzac Day ceremonies?
Remembrance on Anzac Day has been an important part of Australian culture since the first Anzac Day was observed in 1916.
In this clip, residents of Queensland's Gold Coast were asked what they think about during the minute's silence.
Things to think about
- 1.Why do we observe Anzac Day? Ceremonies are held on 25 April to remember men and women who served in war. The date commemorates the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers at Anzac Cove on Turkey's Gallipoli Peninsula during World War I. The Gallipoli campaign was not a strategic success and cost thousands of lives, but the courage of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) forged a legend.
- 2.Who does the first man (a World War II veteran) think about during the minute's silence? In the comments of the next four speakers, four groups of people are identified as being remembered on Anzac Day. Who are these groups? The sixth speaker says, 'People should pay something back for people that have served their country'. Do you agree, and how should this be done?
- 3.Anzac Day ceremonies usually feature a dawn service, which includes one (or two) minute's silence, and a march of veterans and their descendants. These activities are often followed by less formal gatherings in which veterans are reunited with their wartime comrades. What do you think would be the feelings of veterans during each of these Anzac Day events?
- 4.The woman who is the sixth speaker in this clip refers to the obligation to repay people who have served their country in wartime. Use appropriate sources to find out how this is done in Australia and the roles that have been played by Legacy and the Australian Government through the Department of Veterans' Affairs.
Date of broadcast: 2011
Copyright
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