The Anzac legend is one of the most famous legends in Australia. The popular view of this legend is that the Anzacs that went and fought for

The Anzac legend. Known throughout the world as a story about great bravery and honour that the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps showed during World War 1. For the first time since federation Australia had a chance to make a name for itself and as far as the Anzac legend goes they made a great name that portrayed Australians as tough, courageous and always willing to help out a mate with a smile on their face.

This new name portrayed the Anzacs as all being perfect and showing these qualities. And yet, many historians say that the whole truth has not been told. An alternative view of this legend has come about with evidence to support it. Which view is correct is up for discussion. Personally I agree with parts of both sides of the story. I am sure that there were many Anzacs who showed these great qualities with evidence to support that, but there is also evidence to suggest that there were a few who were not so honourable in the way they acted at war.

The more common and traditional view of the Anzac legend was that the Anzacs were heroic, tough, courageous, a mate and could survive against all odds. They followed orders and faced death bravely. These qualities are supported by source E which outlines the the characteristics of an Anzac according to The Digger Legend.

Source G also supports these characteristics and speaks about the way the Anzacs bravely charged at the enemy and open fire, even though death was almost certain. They acted bravely and made a name for themselves that will never die. This is one perspective of the Anzacs and up until recent years was the only main view of the legend.

An alternative view has emerged about the Anzacs. It is not saying that there were not brave and honourable Australians who fought for their country. It is only saying that not all of the Anzacs were so well behaved. Many of the Australian soldiers like to cause mischief and they had a lariken streak. Many soldiers were cheeky and disliked their leaders, most likely because they were being ordered around by a British Commander in Chief. This is supported in source B which features a postcard sent to the British commander. It shows a number of Australian deserters in a group photo smiling.

Another example of the mischief that the Anzacs got upto is stated in source A. "On the afternoon and evening of 2 April 1915, Good Friday, in the Derb al Wasa (Cairo, Egypt), Australian and New Zealand troops – up to 2500 of them – began sacking brothels…fulled by rumors that pimps had stabbed soldiers. Crowds of soldiers ransacked prostitutes' houses, setting fire to furniture on the street and interfering with the local fire brigade by chopping up their fire hoses…(After the event)…few soldiers could be found to give evidence, and much of it was contradictory. Australians and New Zealanders blamed each other." This sought of behaviour does not comply with that of the popular Anzac legend.

As you can see there are two, clearly different sides to the one legend. They both contradict each other with one side saying the Anzacs were brave and honourable whilst the other side says they were cowards and caused trouble. The Anzac legend as we know it today is not said to be completley wrong by the alterantive view. It is just said that not the whole truth has been told and that some of the less honourable acts were left out in the way we view the Anzacs. Not the entire group were troublemakers and not the entire group were the brave men we thought them to be.

There is evidence to support both sides of the legend and from the evidence we can form our own view and opinion. My personal opinion contains a little bit of both sides. There is sufficient evidence to support both sides and that is why I cannot agree with only one side. There is evidence to say that there were many Anzacs who showed the qualities of bravery and mateship etc. But there is also evidence to suggest that there were a few who did not.

As you can see the Anzac legend as we know it has an alternative view that suggests some of the Anzacs were not as honourable as we first thought. It is not to say that there were no good Anzacs, it is just saying that not all of the were as well behaved as they should have been. There is sufficient evidence to support both sides of the story and it is up to us to form our own opinion.