Post-war Societies (Australia)

Australias Great War was both unifying and divisive. The Anzac legend that celebrated soldiers achievements fostered national pride and confidence, but the war widened fissures based on class, religion, and ethnicity. In particular, the debate over conscription had unleashed intense passions that lived on into the post-war era. Influenza, unemployment, and industrial strife, as well as international developments in Ireland and Russia, contributed to the tense atmosphere. By 1922, while people and governments were still grappling with the expensive problem of supporting those whose lives the war had torn apart, there were signs that the nation was entering calmer waters.