Turkey: The enduring resonance of Gallipoli

In my studies in Australia, I’ve come to realize that Australians see the Battle of Gallipoli as the birth of their nation, the event that distinguished them from the British, said Shirin Yasar in Today’s Zaman.

Shirin Yasar

Today’s Zaman

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In my studies in Australia, I’ve come to realize that Australians see that battle as the birth of their nation, the event that distinguished them from the British. Their telling of Gallipoli contrasts “Australian perseverance and bravery” with “the incompetence and general lack of leadership” of the British, as shown in the 1981 movie Gallipoli, which portrays British officers drinking tea on the beach while Aussie soldiers were being slaughtered. What many Turks don’t realize, though, is that while Australians resent British actions at Gallipoli, they respect the Turks for having fought fairly and honorably. That’s largely why our two nations are such firm allies today. We “forged an imperishable bond through the unlikely event of war so many years ago.”