Dimensions
168 x 235 x 7mm
'Quarterly Essay 20' combines riveting storytelling with fresh and provocative analysis. In it, bestselling author John Birmingham delves into our new military myths. Why has Anzac Day returned and Vietnam faded? Why do we love war stories again? What does this mean for the nation? What does it mean for the troops on the ground?
Birmingham begins with an exhilarating account of Operation Anaconda, which tells of the crucial contribution of Australian special forces in Afghanistan. As Australian troops return to that country, this is particularly timely.
According to Birmingham, the Vietnam War Syndrome is dead. Confidence has returned in the use of military action as a political tool. Australian defence policy has become more assertive, and our armed forces are being radically restructured and hardened in line with this. Then there are the cultural changes, like the sanctification of Anzac Day and the government's use of military imagery for election purposes. Is this simply a response to the September 11 atrocities? Or is there something deeper and more significant going on?
