The Anzac Illusion

The myth of Anzac has been one of Australia's most enduring. The belief in the superior fighting qualities of Australia's soldiers in the First World War is part of the national consciousness, and the much touted 'special' relationship between Britain and Australia during the war accepted as fact. This provocative and wide-ranging book is a reassessment of Australia's role in World War I and its relations - military, economic, political and psychological - with Britain. Eric Andrews shows that it suited all parties to propagate the myth of Anzac for their own purposes. It was widely assumed that Britain and Australia were countries with similar interests united by Empire. The book considers this assumption in the light of Australia's actual military experience in the War and finds that it was false. It also discusses the impact of the War on the Australian attitude to Empire. The book is a fresh - and at times controversial - consideration of issues of abiding interest and significance.