'National characteristics' as a concept must be in decline. We have mass communication and can sit in our houses conversing with people in other countries on the interweb. Trends and ideas can spread across the world in no time. The European nations that were involved in the world wars have all experienced mass immigrations. Who can say any more what a typical Britisher is like?

Last edited by doghouse (2014-03-03 08:24:46)

Australia depended on the RN - if there was a need for naval defence - because Britain had discouraged (prevented) Australia from building up its own navy in order to continue british dominance in this area.

Gallipoli was a bloody disaster that didn't do anything to defeat Turkey. Even many of the Brit commanders were sacked or demoted or sent to the back end of buggery or given gardening leave afterwards.

Anyway I'm not inclined to fight it again here with you. But from this perspective here its hard to see the downside for us if Britain hadn't took on WW1. It certainly seems possible to me that Britain and Germany might have emerged together to dominate an early EU.
Looking at it from UK might well foster a different conclusion.

The official Australian War Memorial Statement is that "Gallipoli had no influence on the course of the war."

Anyway I have just got interested again as I visited the Canberra War Memorial for the first time last week. My grandfather was wounded in France /Belgium in WW1.

I'm not suggesting all Australians agree with me - although they mostly they should do what I say - it also must be remembered that at the time I think around 20% of Australians had in fact been born in Britain and many more had relatives there and it can probably be safely said that the majority of the population saw themselves as British rather than Australian.  And until 1967 an Australian passport still said "British Passport" believe it or not.

My background isn't from the ascendancy - I'm Irish, German, Jewish, Italian. No anglo. Might explain some things.

Talking about the Black Russian Fleet.....the Brit media is doing double flip somersaults this morning to ensure the City of London remains exempt from any sanctions against Russia. After several days of propaganda and the usual newspeak, even from Channel 4 which disappointed me somewhat, the realpolitik speaks.

My great-grandfather was shot through his arm and shoulder at Gallipoli. That was his ticket out of the war. My other great grandfather was wounded at the Somme. Good job for me, as my grandmother wasn't born until 1919.

Last edited by The_Shooman (2014-07-31 08:08:35)

Faulkner is pretty fantastic.


Currently diverting from Adorno's Aesthetic Theory into some Hegelian background stuff to regroup on how to attack Theodors dense writing.

Funny, Doggy, because Aesthetic Theory is on my reading list.  Actually, has been for about 10 years.