My blog is on holiday today
Today is a public holiday (ANZAC Day) where we remember the efforts of our past generations who fought in wars. This used to be a rather sombre day when some reflections were in order about the men and women who died ‘defending’ our nation. However, it is now a full-on, merch-driven, commercialised glorification of war that has become repugnant to say the least. All of the WW1 veterans are now dead and the WW2 returnees are going the same way. In this modern era, we are confronted with the black/white narrative (we were good they were evil), which obscures the reality of war and the political machinations that typically accompany it. In our national War Memorial in Canberra, we are still displaying the deeds of Australia’s ‘most decorated’ soldier, who happens to be currently charged with several war crime murders in Afghanistan, such is the hold that the war-glorification lobby has with policy makers. In Australia’s case our involvement in several wars has been the product of unnecessary colonial master-servant type arrangements (us being the servant) and/or ridiculous alliances with the war mongering US. At least we are not participating in the slaughter by the IDF in Gaza, Lebanon and the US-IDF in Iran. But it is also clear, that the Australian soldiers certainly did it tough and I have sympathy with that – and personal associations with my grandparents and parents. But, on a pragmatic basis, my blog is taking the day off so I can use the time to finish some work that has impending deadlines.
You can find more about what today is about by consulting this blog post – 100 years ago today in France … (April 25, 2018).
And, on a personal note: My younger brother died last Friday. RIP troubled one.
(c) Copyright 2026 William Mitchell. All Rights Reserved.
Bill, Sorry to hear about the passing of your younger brother. Words are never enough to express the loss of a loved one.
My condolences for your loss, Bill.
Condolences.
Dear Bill
deepest sympathy to you and your family
Sorry to hear about the loss of your brother Bill.
Very sorry to hear about the loss of your younger brother. Condolences to you and your family.
Many condolences to you and family Bill.
Sorry to read the sad news Bill. No doubt it weighs heavy. My condolences.
My deepest sympathy to you and all your family
Dear Bill, my sincere condolences on the loss of your brother.
Unfortunately I have to agree with your comments about Anzac Day. It used to be a sombre occasion to help Australians cope with enormous loss in war, a chance to acknowledge selfless courage and sacrifice for the welfare of others, recalling not only lives lost but also lives ruined, to remind ourselves of the futility of war, and hopefully to reflect also on how those conflicts were allowed to develop.
Like you I have strong family connections to both world wars, so it is not easy criticizing the ballooning of publicity around Anzac Day which I have always respected and shared with my family. It’s possible, even likely that I am reacting to “my” family history being the property now of people who don’t have the same direct link, an inevitable result of the passage of time.
However, it feels like the celebration of Anzac Day is subtly becoming incorporated into the relentless propaganda aimed at conditioning people to accept that war is inevitable, something I cannot accept.
We urgently need to develop our own independent foreign policy – certainly maintain a strong and effective purely defensive military capacity – but stop providing a mercenary force and and becoming
an uncritical component of every American military adventure. Our current leaders in both major political parties appear more intent on planning for war than working for peace, as if war is a viable
solution to every geopolitical disagreement, when in fact it should be avoided at all costs by vigorous diplomatic efforts and economic co-operation.
Surely it’s time after 80 years to finally admit that for the time being at least, the geoplitical ambitions of the ally with whom we partnered to defeat Japan are no longer in Australia’s interests.
Best wishes to you and your family
Dear Prof. Mitchell
My deepest condolences for you loss. My thoughts go out to you and your family in this difficult time.
All my sympathies for your brother’s death Bill.
I agree with your take on Anzac Day. Our neighbours have been flying the flag at the front of their house which used to only appear on Australia Day. But, sadly, now patriotism (if you have to be into that) is also bound up with militarism in this country.
Must just correct you on Australia not “participating in the US-IDF war in Iran”.
Australia immediately sent an electronic surveillance Boeing E-7 Wedgetail when the war started, to the UAE in a “defensive” role. ie, protecting US bases that were being used to attack Iran from.
Also, there were Australian personnel aboard the US submarine that sank the unarmed Iranian frigate that was returning from a diplomatic trip to Sri Lanka.
And, Australia has sent missiles to the UAE.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australia_and_the_2026_Iran_war
All this has been called “defensive actions” by Richard Marles but, whatever he says, it puts us on the side of the US and Israel.
Dear Bill,
Many condolences to you and family for the loss of your brother.
Having lived in both Australia and the UK I do agree with you about Anzac Day. Our Rembrance Day is going a similar way. There’s more jingoism attached to it than there used to be, although it isn’t quite as pronounced here.
At least not yet!
My most sincere condolences, Dear Prof. Mitchell