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Ok, so we were doing this minute of silence thing at school last month, and I almost got into a fight with my first period teacher over it, luckily I avoided it in time. Anyway, when my third period rolled around and my teacher started reading out the speech as to why we are doing it.

So I was sitting there, silently fuming at the thought of this and my teacher says to the class that we are commemorating the loss of lives of many soldiers in many battles, including the Boa War (She didn't point this out specifically, but it was on the list of wars we were commemorating).

So I'm there, fuming with anger, trying not to rouse anyone's attention on this, because they seem to like this commemoration thing. Why was I angry? The Boa War was a war in which the British and Australians went to South Africa (my home country) and slaughtered thousands of native soldiers in order to oppress them into British control

What a load of crap. I mean, thousands of South Africans are killed so that the rest can be oppressed, and here my class is about to give a minutes silence to the soldiers who did it. And then I thought, well, that's what Australians did in every war, except WWI and WWII. From Afghan to Iraq, we were fighting to oppress people, not free them... or at least what I've gleamed from my teachers and peers anyway.

So I ask you, how do you feel about us and war? Which wars do you think we were right to get involved in? Which wars were we wrong to avoid? Which wars should we not have fought in? Please, I want to know...

I didn't know WWI and WWII the soldiers were treated like that when they got home. I thought it started in the Vietnam War as it was the first war televised. Forgive me, when I said Afghan War above I mean Vietnam War.

Not to mention Chemical Orange, that stuffed up our troops pretty badly once they came back.

Conscription now days has been limited so that it can only be used if our immediate region is under attack, which is still s**t.

Generally I don't talk about things like this. I don't see the point, because ultimately, complaining about it isn't going to do anything.

A few things to note though. Remembrance day (the day you are referring to) is done on the 11/11th because this is the day that the treaty to end WWI was signed. It is generally considered a day to mourn the fallen. This refers to all fallen, though usually people think it only refers to our countrymen.

Secondly, during the Boer war, the Australian military forces were under the control of the British military (this was the last war in which it was so).

Complaining doesn't fix much except it makes you feel better when people complain with you. I complain when I feel lonely rolleyes

Anyway, in my school, the Modern History class takes care of Remembrance Day. My History teacher is a huge Aussie-pride kinda fellow, but he's very sensitive about lives and war, so we commemorated both an Australian soldier and a German soldier - who went anti-Nazi, then went AWOL and saved 600 Jews or so.

After that ceremony, everyone thought the German soldier was cooler than the Australian one - although both were equally respected mind you. ^^

Remembrance day is an important part of our heritage, and while it might come across to others as insensitive it is hardly the message that is being sent.

As far as I am concerned Wars are really not an option that should be used in order to settle disputes with others in our current period. We all should know better, but past events happened as they did and in the moment our current government acted in the way they considered best for our national interests.

Yes, the Boa war wasn't exactly a great part of history but our country men died in the service of their country and should be honored for their sacrifice.

Edit: A correction to Queen of Spoons, WWII vets were commemorated too. It was the Vietnam war veterans that were abused. The poor fellows had crap (possibly literally) thrown at them on their return. Not to mention it took ages for them to get the therapy they needed for post-war traumas. Along with other horrific things they never got fixed.

.. And I'm being nitpicky again. I'm sorry. I love history! heart

My bad >.<

But I fixed your spelling =D

Oh win!!

I'm practically a grammar Nazi... I hate my mums keyboard though...

I think over time the meaning for starting the war becomes lost and people just fight for the hell of it.

I'm instantly reminded of the fued between the families in Romeo and Juliet and now I want to shoot myself.