Question: 3. Why did the terrible loss at Gallipoli become such a key moment in the development of New Zealand, Australian and Turkish nationalism but assume an even more significant role in the case of Australia and Turkey?
Although the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915 did not go down in the history books as one of the most significant battles of the twentieth century, it became extremely important for the development of nationalism in Australia, New Zealand and Turkey. This essay will investigate why Gallipoli became such a significant moment in the development of Australian, New Zealand and Turkish nationalism. Secondly this essay will discuss why the battle became even more significant in Turkish and Australian history than it did in New Zealand history.
Before the Gallipoli campaign of 1915 New Zealand was simply just another dominion of the British Empire. As a nation the New Zealanders were yet to really emerge or prove themselves on the international stage. However, the historian Marilyn Lake argues that New Zealand’s participation in the Gallipoli campaign puts the country on the map. Lake contends that once New Zealanders or indeed any other nation’s soldiers land on the shores of Gallipoli in 1915 a nation emerges on the world stage from a terrible loss of life. Although New Zealand troops had fought overseas before they had only played a minor role usually in support of the British however, at Gallipoli New Zealand troops play a crucial role. Unfortunately for the New Zealand soldiers involved in the battle; many of them were to pay a heavy price and indeed for such a small country New Zealanders did lose a disproportionate amount of soldiers. However historians like Lake argue that this sacrifice by the soldiers was not in vain, “At war, their sons might make the ‘supreme sacrifice,’ but their collective death would bring forth immortal life, the birth of a nation.” New Zealand emerges out of world war one and especially Gallipoli as a new