mackinnon

How Americanised has Australia become?

Nu-Shooz

The adverts on TV seem to be as bad as each other

Lots of things here remind me of the US...the roads, buildings, even some of the Aussies sound American

worzel

I identify two factors. Firstly the size of the country and the heat (southern US at least) mean there are many similarities. Secondly, the Aussies got pissed off with the British using them as cannon fodder in the war etc and decided to throw their hand in with someone else. A bit of a generalisation but you get the point.

Vash the Stampede

No more so than other "Westernised liberal democracies".

In my part of the UK, the most commonly used Americanism is "Mom" instead of "Mum". That's something I never encountered back home.

Fleaflyfloflum

PMSL And you think the yanks wouldnt have?

kiwi_child

Coming from NZ, I couldn't believe how Americanised OZ was. It really took me by surprise. I was looking forward to being exposed to Aussie culture as is often promoted. Instead I found a superficial, insecure and overly materialistic society, much to my disappointment. And with the passing of Slim Dusty the other year, I feel there is now virtually nothing of true Australian culture left to experience. That guy was an icon, a legend, and embodied something very special about what and who Australia once was.

themerlin

What I hate is the overuse of the word "Awesome" :curse:

Amazulu

It is a generalisation because it never happened that way. In any war.

NKSK version 2

I can't believe that this bullshit is still being touted around.

There is a romantic perception that Australian's went to war only to support Britain. Whilst there may be some element of truth in that, there was also apparently a lot of doing what was "right" and going for a sense of adventure - I suspect similar to the UK going to Iraq or Afghanistan or attacking Germany when Germany's sights were set on France in WW1 - hardly directly affecting the UK but soldiers and the forces doing what they believe to be 'right'. The misperception of the Brits pulling Australians over to do their dirty work, sent to their deaths by incompetent British generals and their losses being bigger than any other country have become folklore.

Australians did not lose as many people in WW1 or WWII as the British - in absolute terms or as a percentage of their population.

And it wasn't even about fighting someone else's war in someone else's theatre - particularly in WW2 (but also in WW1 given German possessions in the Pacific) when fighting often took place within Australia's sphere of influence.

Some Aussies like to think that we should be permanently in gratitude to them for agreeing to fight for us in our war and dying for the British.

worzel

The yanks even shoot their allies

worzel

I was told that a few times when we were on our hols down here, but I have to admit I have not heard anything like that this time around. Maybe a better example would be that Whitlam / Fraser thing in the 70's where the UK monarchy disolved the Australian government. I can't even remember what that was about exactly but no wonder there is a strong pro-republican feeling.

kiwi_child

What pissed Aussies and Kiwis off was that some useless whisky drinking generals in London farked it up at Gallipoli and that cost the lives of many, many ANZACS. Also in WW2, the UK Top Brass hassled the OZ PM (Curtin) to keep his men in the middle east theatre when they shoudl have been sent back to OZ to defend their home country.

Infact, if it hadn't been for the yanks we'd all be speaking Japanese nowadays. On that score The Americans deserve credit. And the Allies would also have lost WW2 if the Americans hadn't come to the party.

kiwi_child

It was caused by Malcom Fraser's opposition blocking the passing of the appropriations bill (funding for the federal budget) in the senate. This forced a double dissolution. It was a politically underhanded and despicable act that wasn't 'cricket'. Fraser did it purely and simply so he could project himself and his colleagues on to the treasury benches.

Amazulu

My understanding of the Whitlam/Fraser issue (and I am by no means an expert) was that the Governor-General dissolved the Australian government. Although he is the Queens representative in Australia, he made the decision on his own. The Australian government in 1975 was very left wing and extremely unpopular and his decision was widely supported. Sure, there is a strong pro-republic movement here and I kind of agree with it. On the other hand, the monarchy is popular here and I'm not sure enough people would support dropping the monarchy.

Amazulu

At Galipolli 3 times as many UK troops were killed than ANZAC troops.
Galipolli was a great idea but badly implemented. Churchill and his generals messed it up. Many Australian commanders sent their men on 'suicide' attacks. Few came out of the campaign with their repuatations intact.
Curtin DID bring the 2 Aussie divisions home from the Middle East, despite the protests of Churchill and hsi generals.