Voluntary sacrifice for empire

THANKS to Mr Glazebrook of Endeavour Hills for responding to my letter (Fight Worth Fighting, News, 27 February).
Mr Glazebrook certainly has a unique and interesting view of Australian Great War commitment and sacrifice.
I prefer to expand on former Prime Minister Keating’s view.
Virtue in any war is a moral paradox.
Furthermore, his claim that Australia was “dragged into service” I find difficult to reconcile with fact.
The entirely volunteer AIF totalled 416,809 enlistments with 329,968 embarkations.
In truth, the only Australians ever dragged into active service were CMF (Citizens Military Force)battalions during WWII and Vietnam conscripts.
Germany’s further intent may not have been invasionist but I hold little doubt she’d have demanded savage reparations.
In 1939, however, Germany did invade other countries and by forcing Britain’s hand, Australia answered further calls to empire with the entirerly volunteer 2nd AIF.
I don’t believe Mr Glazebrook of Endeavour Hills fully appreciates the strength of Australian ties to empire throughout the 20th century.
The sacrifice wasn’t unnecessary, it was sadly inevitable.
John Howard,
Cranbourne.