How Did World War 1 Affect Australia

World War One was a war that affected Australia, its culture and history in ways that are still prevalent in today’s society. The hardships that the war placed on the country and its people helped to allow Australia to adapt and change to manage these issues in the best way possible for the continuation of Australia’s prosperity and cultural growth. However this also brings up the question as to whether or not World War One did not actually help bring the people of Australia together, but instead divided the Australian nation on multiple levels. There are many arguments as to why this is often believed to be the case, but there are also many other arguments which go against this idea stating that this war actually helped unify the nation due
Australian women during World War One had an incredibly important role to play when it came to the supporting roles that arose during the war. Although women were still discouraged from working in roles that were typically seen as ‘male’ roles they still contributed to the war in many ways by joining groups such as the ‘…Australian Red Cross, the Country Women's Association, the Women's Christian Temperance Union, the Australian Women's National League, the Voluntary Aid Detachment, the Australian Comforts Fund and the Cheer-Up Society.’ (AusGov 2015) Which were all very important groups supporting both efforts at home and the overseas territories Australian forces were fighting in during the War. Women who accompanied the men to the fronts of war as nurses helped to bolster the health of the Australian armies and its allies exponentially as without them many of the men that fell as casualties would not have recovered from their ailments and returned home to their families and would have instead become another dead soldier among the millions that perished during those wartime years. As well as their roles as nurses, women also helped to create more clothing for both soldiers and civilians alike, helped to produce food and fundraise, as well as continue to care for and look after the children within the country. This importance that women held throughout the war helped to unify the women of Australia and also helped to increase awareness of their capability both to themselves, as well as to the men of Australia, helping to improve women’s rights and broaden the range and types of jobs that it was now possible for them to attain in the future. This shows even in today’s society as now