Independance Day

[Warrior]

Every country has an independance day. Today is my country's

So lets all share the dates our nations became official, and maybe even tell the story of how it happened. Goo way to overcome a few differences, racism and what not.

And learning a few things along the way Please refrain from accusing other nations of things, just state the facts, dont get too political or religious, this is just for fun, and being proud about your Nation :wink:

Feel free to skip the below if you dont want a history lesson.

Turkey - Oct. 29th 1923

After the First World War Turkey's empire (Ottoman Empire at the time) was split in many sections. They were shared between the winning allies such as England, France, etc, etc.

The Turks themselves had only a very small space around Istanbul to call their home. However a man who is now hailed as "The Father of the Turks", Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, had other ideas.

To cut a long story short, The Turkish military were able to force the Allies to leave Turkey, and return the land back to the original owners. With this countries like Syria and Lebanon were created, as they used to be part of the Ottoman Empire.

The English and French (the main occupiers) had to discard the treaty allowing them control of any Turkish land. Which they did. Thus, the Republic of Turkey was born, with its saviour Mustafa Kemal Ataturk (Ataturk meaning father of the Turks) becoming the first prime minister.


There’s our story, post yours.

 

[Foxy]

...This is going to be a big British hating thread since we are the people who did have a little too much power but eventually handed countries back to the people.

 

[blueovalboy7]

...This is going to be a big British hating thread since we are the people who did have a little too much power but eventually handed countries back to the people.

I wouldn't exactly say "handed" but I understand what you mean. Also I don't see any reason for this to go that far; that is turning into a British hating thread, as long as people are mature, it shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Eagles]

I guess the closest thing Australia would have to an independence day would be Australia Day or Anzac Day. Here's a bit of reading if you want to learn more.

Wikipedia can explain :

Australia Day

Australia Day is the official national day of Australia, which commemorates the establishment of a settlement and penal colony at Port Jackson by Captain Arthur Phillip, who later became the first Governor.[1] Australia Day is celebrated on 26 January annually, and has been declared as an official public holiday in all states and territories of Australia. Known also as Anniversary Day or Foundation Day, Australia Day is widely considered to be an important day in the history of Australia.

On Australia Day, the winner of the Australian of the Year award is announced by the Prime Minister; the award is given to any Australian citizen who has shown a "significant contribution to the Australian community and nation", and is an "inspirational role model for the Australian community".[2] Subcategories of the award include "Young" and "Senior Australian of the Year", and award for the "Australian Local Hero".

Recorded celebrations date back to 1808, and in 1818, Governor Lachlan Macquarie held the first official celebration of Australia Day.[3] In 2004, an estimated 7.5 million people attended Australia Day celebrations and functions across the country.[3]

26 January 1788 was the date on which the First Fleet, under Captain Arthur Phillip arrived at Sydney Cove and set up the Colony of New South Wales. By 26 January 1808, the day that the New South Wales Corps arrested Governor Bligh in the Rum Rebellion, it was being celebrated as 'First Landing' or 'Foundation Day'. In 1818 (the 30th anniversary) Governor Macquarie had a 30-gun salute at Dawes Point and gave government workers a holiday[4] - a tradition that was soon followed by banks and other public offices.

In 1888 all colonial capitals (with the exception of Adelaide) celebrated 'Anniversary Day' and by 1935 all states of Australia were celebrating 26 January as Australia Day (although it was still known as Anniversary Day in New South Wales).

The 1938 sesquicentenary (150th anniversary) of British settlement in New South Wales in 1788 was widely celebrated. Preparations began in 1936 with the formation of a Celebrations Council. In that year, New South Wales was the only state to abandon the traditional long weekend and the annual Anniversary Day public holiday was held on the actual anniversary day - Wednesday 26 January.[5]

In 1946 the Commonwealth and State governments agreed to unify the celebrations on 26 January as 'Australia Day', although the public holiday was instead taken on the Monday closest to 26 January.[1]

Since 1994 all states and territories have taken the Australia Day public holiday on 26 January.[1]

Anzac Day

ANZAC Day marks the anniversary of the first major military action fought by Australian and New Zealand forces during the First World War. The acronym (ANZAC) stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, whose soldiers quickly became known as ANZACs themselves. The pride they took in that name endures to this day, and ANZAC Day remains one of Australia and New Zealand's most important national occasions.[1]

When war broke out in 1914, Australia had a Federal Commonwealth for only thirteen years, and the new National Government was eager to establish its reputation among the nations of the world. In 1915, Australian and New Zealand soldiers formed part of the Allied expedition that set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula to open the way to the Black Sea for the Allied navies. The plan was to capture Istanbul, capital of the Ottoman Empire and an ally of Germany. They landed at Gallipoli on 25 April, meeting fierce resistance from the Turkish defenders. What had been planned as a bold strike to knock Turkey out of the war quickly became a stale-mate, and the campaign dragged on for eight months. At the end of 1915, the Allied forces were evacuated after both sides had suffered heavy casualties and endured great hardships. Over 8,000 Australian and 2,700 New Zealand soldiers died. News of the landing at Gallipoli made a profound impact on Australians and New Zealanders at home and 25 April quickly became the day on which they remembered the sacrifice of those who had died in war.

Though the Gallipoli campaign failed in its military objectives of capturing Istanbul and knocking Turkey out of the war, the Australian and New Zealand troops' actions during the campaign bequeathed an intangible but powerful legacy. The creation of what became known as an "ANZAC legend" became an important part of the national identity in both countries. This shaped the ways they viewed both their past and their future.

On 30 April 1915, when the first news of the landing reached New Zealand, a half-day holiday was declared and impromptu services were held. The following year a public holiday was gazetted on 5 April and services to commemorate were organised by the returned servicemen.[1]

The date, 25 April, was officially named ANZAC Day in 1916; in that year it was marked by a wide variety of ceremonies and services in Australia and New Zealand, a march through London, and a sports day for the Australian and New Zealand soldiers in Egypt. The tiny New Zealand community of Tinui, near Masterton in the Wairarapa was apparently the first place in New Zealand to have an ANZAC Day service, when the then vicar led an expedition to place a large wooden cross on the Tinui Taipos (a 1200ft high large hill/mountain, behind the village) in April 1916 to commemorate the dead. A service was held on the 25th of April of that year. In 2006 the 90th Anniversary of the event was celebrated with a full twenty-one gun salute fired at the service by soldiers from the Waiouru Army Camp. In London, over 2,000 Australian and New Zealand troops marched through the streets of the city. A London newspaper headline dubbed them "The Knights of Gallipoli". Marches were held all over Australia in 1916; wounded soldiers from Gallipoli attended the Sydney march in convoys of cars, accompanied by nurses. Over 2,000 people attended the service in Rotorua.[1] For the remaining years of the war, ANZAC Day was used as an occasion for patriotic rallies and recruiting campaigns, and parades of serving members of the AIF were held in most cities. From 1916 onwards, in both Australia and New Zealand, ANZAC services were held on or about 25 April, mainly organised by returned servicemen and school children in cooperation with local authorities.

ANZAC Day was gazetted as a public holiday in New Zealand in 1921, after lobbying by the Royal New Zealand Returned and Services' Association, the RSA.[2] In Australia at the 1921 State Premiers' Conference, it was decided that ANZAC Day would be observed on 25 April each year. However, it was not observed uniformly in all the States.

One of the traditions of ANZAC Day is the 'gunfire breakfast' (coffee with rum added), which occurs shortly after many dawn ceremonies.

During the 1920s, ANZAC Day became established as a National Day of Commemoration for the 60,000 Australians and 18,000 New Zealanders who died during the war. The first year in which all the States observed some form of public holiday together on ANZAC Day was 1927. By the mid-1930s, all the rituals now associated with the day — dawn vigils, marches, memorial services, reunions, sly two-up games — were firmly established as part of Australian ANZAC Day culture. New Zealand commemorations also adopted many of these rituals, with the dawn service being introduced from Australia in 1939.[2]

With the coming of the Second World War, ANZAC Day became a day on which to commemorate the lives of Australians and New Zealanders lost in that war as well and in subsequent years, the meaning of the day has been further broadened to include those killed in all the military operations in which the countries have been involved.

ANZAC Day was first commemorated at the Australian War Memorial in 1942, but due to government orders preventing large public gatherings in case of Japanese air attack; it was a small affair and was neither a march nor a memorial service. ANZAC Day has been annually commemorated at the Australian War Memorial ever since.

Australians and New Zealanders recognise 25 April as a ceremonial occasion. Commemorative services are held at dawn, the time of the original landing, across both nations. Later in the day, ex-servicemen and women meet and join in marches through the major cities and many smaller centers. Commemorative ceremonies are held at war memorials around both countries. It is a day when Australians and New Zealanders reflect on the many different meanings of war.

 

[Squall7]

...This is going to be a big British hating thread since we are the people who did have a little too much power but eventually handed countries back to the people.

Meh. It'll only become a British hating thread if people are nationalistic or blame contemporary Britain for past issues.

Personally, I recognise that both Britain and France colonised and stole land which was not theirs. They eventually gave it back when the empires collapsed, and have created power vacuums in many of the once-occupied countries, that have never gone away. In essence, the British deserve a lot of flack for causing problems. Recognition of those wrong-doings and also the recognition that the state of Britain has changed - and can not be held accountable, must be realised and demonstrated.

However, on behalf of my ancestors, I can apologise, even if I could do nothing now to stop it, I can at least acknowledge that my country did wrongs in the past.

Britain has many other issues, for which our children may have to apologise on behalf of us, in later years. It's not logical to hold onto ancestors hatreds, even if one respects their ancestors, for contemporary life is meant for today.


I don't think Britain could really celebrate it's own independence day - We have had no rebellions against our country to free itself from another major power in the last 200 years (at least to my knowledge), so this one will have to be celebrated by most other countries. And may they all live in peace.

Happy Independence Day Warrior.

 

[Napalmbrain]

Britain doesn't have an independence day. You might call the days of the various patron saints as the closest equivalents (e.g. St. David for Wales, St. George for England etc.), but they're not really celebrated or even remembered these days (I can't even remember when St. David's Day is! :lol.

Although I think it was wrong of previous generations of this country and the rest of Europe to conquer the rest of the world, unlike Squall I'm not going to apologise for them, because I am not responsible for my ancestor's actions.

 

[Squall7]

Britain doesn't have an independence day. You might call the days of the various patron saints as the closest equivalents (e.g. St. David for Wales, St. George for England etc.), but they're not really celebrated or even remembered these days (I can't even remember when St. David's Day is! :lol.

Yet, whenever St. Patrick's day comes around, the pubs are packed with people drinking guinness...

Although I think it was wrong of previous generations of this country and the rest of Europe to conquer the rest of the world, unlike Squall I'm not going to apologise for them, because I am not responsible for my ancestor's actions.

But by the same token, when not apologising only continues conflicts, it's better to swallow some pride.

Also, I feel that being responsible for something is also remembering the wrongs done, and the duty to try and make sure negative things don't happen again. Apologising is a symbol of that.

Besides, we've not apologised for anything (as a nation) we've done in the past 100 years (officially at least), to the best of my knowledge. Perhaps it's time we either apologise and admit our mistakes, even if the events happened before our lifetime. As a British person, I find that reasonable. If it happened the other way, I would also consider it a sign of "letting bygones be bygones" so to speak. A peace offering. Isn't that worth swallowing pride for?

 

[CantGetAWii]

Well..Happy Independance day?
:lol:

I don't know how to really say it.

 

[JAKE196]

we kicked the brits asses lolz!

j/k i live in America but i was born in England.

 

[Napalmbrain]

But by the same token, when not apologising only continues conflicts, it's better to swallow some pride.

Also, I feel that being responsible for something is also remembering the wrongs done, and the duty to try and make sure negative things don't happen again. Apologising is a symbol of that.

Besides, we've not apologised for anything (as a nation) we've done in the past 100 years (officially at least), to the best of my knowledge. Perhaps it's time we either apologise and admit our mistakes, even if the events happened before our lifetime. As a British person, I find that reasonable. If it happened the other way, I would also consider it a sign of "letting bygones be bygones" so to speak. A peace offering. Isn't that worth swallowing pride for?

Of course, what they did back then is inexcusable, and we do indeed need to make sure it doesn't happen again, but any apology I make is just a token meaningless one from someone who was never involved. I'm not responsible for my ancestor's actions. Modern society seems to have a fixation on blame, but rather than just token apologies, perhaps we could do more to help the third world by actually doing something about their plight, e.g. by lifting unfair trading quotas and tariffs which keep rich countries rich and poor countries poor.

 

[Foxy]

we kicked the brits asses lolz!

j/k i live in America but i was born in England.

You 'kicked our asses'?

Around that period of time it was mainly America 'Kicking its own ass'

 

[blueovalboy7]

we kicked the brits asses lolz!

j/k i live in America but i was born in England.

As long as people aren't serious when posting things like this there won't be any issues. I think that there were a lot of mistakes made in the past, but no reason to dwell on them any longer. The United States, way back in the mid 1700s got tired of British rule so they rebelled and some how won a war against, at the time, the greatest military superpower at the time, with some outside help that is. I feel no resentment towards Britain, I did not live during that time period and I can only base my opinions on the present and at the moment I have no problems with any other countries as a whole. Our independence day has more to it than what I stated, but essentially the past is the past and the future is more important in my opinion. So lets just attempt to keep things on a relatively even keel so the conflicts can be kept to a minimum. Starting with our reduced presence in Iraq and the middle east.

 

[Squall7]

Of course, what they did back then is inexcusable, and we do indeed need to make sure it doesn't happen again, but any apology I make is just a token meaningless one from someone who was never involved. I'm not responsible for my ancestor's actions. Modern society seems to have a fixation on blame, but rather than just token apologies, perhaps we could do more to help the third world by actually doing something about their plight, e.g. by lifting unfair trading quotas and tariffs which keep rich countries rich and poor countries poor.

Very true.

Although I would argue that even the fact that you're prepared to admit to something you could not have done anything about says something. Also, let's not forget that people generally like to organise things into nice neat boxes. We may see that we are all individuals in our society, but yet we get images of any other country being the exact same thing as any other image from that country - improverished, desert-like, pre-industrial etc... Is it not possible that other countries may see Britain as still a colonial power, drinking tea, having a stiff upper lip and saying "Tally ho" instead of "bye"? Heck, I would also argue that many (somewhat ignorant) British people would brandish other cultures with a single brush, and not bother altering their perceptions even if there were people from another culture saying "We had nothing to do with it, and we're on your side here", much like the media backlash against the 7/7 bombings. Yet racial crime rose, despite many Muslim autorities were actively pushing themselves away from being associated with a religion that kills.

As long as people aren't serious when posting things like this there won't be any issues. I think that there were a lot of mistakes made in the past, but no reason to dwell on them any longer. The United States, way back in the mid 1700s got tired of British rule so they rebelled and some how won a war against, at the time, the greatest military superpower at the time, with some outside help that is. I feel no resentment towards Britain, I did not live during that time period and I can only base my opinions on the present and at the moment I have no problems with any other countries as a whole. Our independence day has more to it than what I stated, but essentially the past is the past and the future is more important in my opinion. So lets just attempt to keep things on a relatively even keel so the conflicts can be kept to a minimum. Starting with our reduced presence in Iraq and the middle east.

I think America split away from Britain because of taxes. It didn't like the fact that they were still paying taxes, but didn't see all that much of the benefits. Also, wasn't it France that helped America out with that one, and then gave you the statue of Liberty? I remember reading a while ago about an agreement saying that if England or France were involved in a war, America would aid them, but if they were in a war with each other, that America would come out on Britain's side. Personally, I worry if America still honoured that agreement, even if Britain became a fascist state...

 

[blueovalboy7]

I think America split away from Britain because of taxes. It didn't like the fact that they were still paying taxes, but didn't see all that much of the benefits. Also, wasn't it France that helped America out with that one, and then gave you the statue of Liberty? I remember reading a while ago about an agreement saying that if England or France were involved in a war, America would aid them, but if they were in a war with each other, that America would come out on Britain's side. Personally, I worry if America still honoured that agreement, even if Britain became a fascist state...

That's what I was saying in a less detailed way, and yes we received outside help (aka France) and yes they were the ones to provide us with the Statue of Liberty. I was tired and not feeling too great so I didn't feel like getting into the details. As for your concern I don't think we as a country would go back on that unless Britain threatened our way of life (attempting to think like our legislature does).