Pre World War I Australia was undergoing an identity crisis. Australia had just become a federation in 1901, though their still divisions within the country from the states. Australia may have just become a separate colony from the British but it was still in a state of disunity. We still didn't really have any history to be proud of, so when war broke out in 1914, it was the perfect opportunity to come along as a nation.
Initially, the reaction from Australians to the war breaking out during August 1914 was a positive one. There was a rush to enlist in the armed forces, as there was the widespread belief that the war would be over by Christmas. Young Australian men rushed to enlist for various reasons. Most Australians had some sort of British background with around 95 % being born in Great Britain, so this provided a basis for their sentimental loyalty. The biggest reason however was that at the outbreak of the war there were plenty of young men out of work, hungry and......
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