Australia

Australia is a large country and continent in the Southern Hemisphere. For thousands of years, First Nations peoples lived across the land. In the late 1700s, British settlers arrived and established colonies. These separate colonies joined together in 1901 to form the Commonwealth of Australia. The new nation maintained close ties to Great Britain and soon formed its own armed forces. Because of these strong friendships, Australia quickly stepped forward to help its global partners whenever trouble began.

Australia entered World War I in 1914 alongside Great Britain and other allied countries. Australian soldiers formed the famous Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, known as the ANZACs. They fought in major campaigns like Gallipoli in Turkey and on the Western Front in France. In 1939, Australia entered World War II to fight against the Axis powers. Australian troops served in Europe, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean. When the war spread to the Pacific, they defended their homeland and fought dangerous battles against Japanese forces in places like New Guinea and the surrounding seas.

During the Cold War, the nation continued to support its allies to stop the spread of communism. Australian forces served in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953, fighting under the United Nations command on land, at sea, and in the air. Soon after, the nation sent soldiers to fight in the Vietnam War alongside the United States and South Vietnam. Throughout the twentieth century, these military efforts earned Australian troops a strong reputation for bravery, teamwork, and loyalty on the world stage.