The soviet occupation of Germany: hunger, mass violence and the struggle for peace, 1945-1947

This is a major new account of the Soviet occupation of postwar Germany and the beginning of the Cold War. Dr Filip Slaveski shows how in the immediate aftermath of war the Red Army command struggled to contain the violence of soldiers against German civilians and, at the same time, feed and rebuild the country. This task was then assumed by the Soviet Military Administration in Germany (SVAG) which was established to impose order on this chaos. Its attempt, however, intensified the battle for resources and power among competing occupation organs, especially SVAG and the army, which spilled over from threats and sabotage into fighting and shootouts in the streets. At times, such conflicts threatened to paralyse occupation governance, leaving armed troops, liberated POWs and slave labourers free to roam. SVAG's successes in reducing the violence and reconstructing eastern Germany were a remarkable achievement in the chaotic aftermath of war.

"I feel I can no longer endure": Families and the limits of Commitment in Australia, 1914-1919

Civilian endurance has again become a significant issue in understanding the nature of the First World War, especially since so much emphasis has returned to questions of consent and commitment in making and sustaining the conflict. Fundamental to that enquiry is an acknowledgement of the reality and legitimacy of the sentiments that drove individuals and communities to support the war. By extension, this also implies a need to understand the limits of that commitment, and of the capacity to endure the strains of war. This chapter probes civilian endurance through an examination of Australian families’ experiences of war and separation. It argues that persistent anxiety over loved ones at the front consumed individuals’ emotional resources and, even among the most patriotic Australians, tested commitment to the war.

AHS classics: Australia and the First World War: the First World War in Australian history

This article introduces the first volume of AHS Classics: Australia and the First World War. It surveys the critical scholarship on the Australian experience of war, taking its cue from Ken Inglis' seminal article, ‘The Anzac Tradition’ (1965), and tracing the development of his challenge to Australian historians over the following five decades. It argues that the adaptability of the Anzac legend, and its assimilation of varied experiences of the First World War, requires both investigation and caution in the production of new histories of events almost a century distant.

The emergency powers in Bangladesh: means for subversion of the rule of law?

The Constitution of Bangladesh empowers the President to proclaim an emergency on the actual or imminent ground of war or external aggression or internal disturbance. However, the insertion of ‘internal disturbance’ in the Constitution as a ground for invoking emergency has provided the executive with the opportunity to proclaim all the five emergencies in Bangladesh on this vague ground for purposes other than that of securing the life of the nation. Furthermore, in the absence of any effective constitutional mechanisms for scrutinising the exercise of emergency powers and a time limit on the continuation of a state of emergency, some of the proclamations of emergency continued even after the alleged threat posed to the life of the nation was over to perpetuate the survival of the party in power by repressing any political threat to the regime. This Article, therefore, recommends for insertion in the Constitution of Bangladesh detailed norms providing for legal limits on the wide power of the executive concerning the proclamation, administration and termination of emergency with a view to ensure that emergencies can no longer be resorted to as the effective means of discarding the rule of law.

Cross-cultural encounters and 'difficult heritage' on the Thai-Burma railway: an ethics of cosmopolitanism rather than practices of exclusion

This chapter argues for the significance of embodied actions and their traces in the heritage landscape as traces of cross-cultural practices in the context of interpreting difficult heritage in places where the heritage of war is of significance for multiple stakeholders.

War and its resistance in Canada and Australia

This thesis is a comparative history of Canada and Australia’s experience of war and war resistance spanning four centuries. It explores the meaning of war and its historical practice for both colonial societies, offering critical insight into the meaning of nationalism and the evolution of popular and public democracy.

Bombs and biodiversity: a case study of military environmentalism in Australia

The relationship between war, militarization, and landscapes is far more complex and nuanced than one characterized by domination and destruction. While the preparation, waging, and aftermath of war clearly have a range of negative landscape impacts, military forces are holding increasingly important, complementary roles in the defense of high conservation value sites.

A warrior nation

Under Prime Minister John Howard, Australia today appears to have turned away from Asia, returning to a Western oriantation. Has racial invasion fear, once expressed in the 'White Australia' policy, been the determinant of relations with Asia? I argue, in contrast, first, that invasion fear preceded race fear and, second, that Australia was unlucky, in coming to nationhood during the eras of Social Darwinism and New Imperialism, scaling ideas of race citizenship into its national formation. It was unlucky to associate national 'manhood' with Gallipoli and war, making the national tradition expeditionary nationalism, or ANZAC. War is central in national memory and public patriotism, primarily because war has been carried out overseas rather than through fighting on Australian soil, and the devastation of Australian cities. Even after the retreat of Western empires in Asia, and of racial ideology, why has this romantic and foolish view of war as an expression of the nation persisted? Paradoxically, Australians romanticise war even though, after 1788, there has been no other invasion of a continent which is harder to invade than it is to defend.

Cultural equality and its soft power against terrorism

This book is a collection of papers originally presented at a workshop entitled 'After Nine Eleven: Ethics in the Time of Terror' hosted by Monash University on 24 June 2005. The workshop participants included members of the Ethics of War and Peace (EWAP) working group which was inaugurated at the first Oceanic Conference on International Studies in July 2004. EWAP provides a cross-disciplinary forum for scholars and non-academic professionals to exchange and debate ideas on topics including the ethics of armed intervention, the Just War, pacifist ethics, international humanitarian law, ethics in the military profession, and the relationship between law, ethics and politics.

The chapters within this book examine themes including 'lesser evils' and 'dirty hands' in the fight against terrorism, the ethics of intelligence gathering, humanitarian intervention, terrorism and the North-South divide, cultural equality as a response to terrorism, human rights and counterterrorism legislation, and the ethics of defending against 'bioterrorism'. 

Contributors include Alex Bellamy and Richard Devetak (University of Queensland), Baogang He (Deakin University), Christopher Michaelsen (Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe), Jeremy Moses (University of Canterbury), Christian Enemark and Hugh Smith (University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy).

Anzac day in the new millennium: insights from New Zealand millennials

Since 1916, New Zealanders have honoured soldiers of war on the 25th of April at commemorative events. The day is now known as Anzac Day, and the acronym ‘Anzac’ stands for the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, which was established in World War I. Anzac Day commemorative events are emerging a popular cultural activity in which New Zealanders, many of whom are young, are now participating. From an event management perspective, however, the increasing popularity of attendance at the commemorative events is problematic, with potential to negatively impact the experience of attendance and the sites at which they are held. There is a need to gain a greater understanding of the experience of attendance at the events so that strategies can be developed to maintain and enhance their authenticity and integrity, while optimising their sustainability in the New Millennium.

The aim of this study was to provide information about the experience of attendance from the attendee’s perspective for later use by managers of the events. The study employed the theory of emotions to examine the consumption experience, and used a qualitative approach for this purpose. Two focus groups were undertaken in New Zealand comprised members of the generational segment, the Millennials. The data were analysed considering the literature on emotions, special event tourism, as well as the literature on dark tourism. In some ways, the special event tourism and dark tourism literatures seem to be paradoxical, however, in this study they seemed to compliment each other. A complex set of motivations, emotions and resulting attitudes, behavioural intentions, and behaviours were revealed. With this information, event managers are better able to understand the experience of attendance and consider these issues when developing strategies to manage the events. The results presented here are part of a larger study, as further data is currently being collected on the topic in Australia. Hence, there are opportunities for cross-cultural analysis about this important aspect of New Zealand, and Australian, culture.

Troubled minds: the lithium revolution

Ex-Changi prisoner of war, and psychiatrist, Dr John Cade, sought a pharmacological treatment for bipolar disorder in the 1940s ; and in so doing, marked the beginning of psychopharmacology.

Deborah Walker : recent painting

Artworks exhibited : Life 2008 - BKK 2008 - The Oracle 2008 - The Revolution 2008 - The Little Dog 2008 - Modern 2008 - The Unifier 2008 - Love 2008 - Mother 2008 - Shiva 2008 - Homage 2008 - The Beauty 2008 - Apollo 2008 - Troy 2008 - Suvarnabhumi (the plane) 2008 - Uncle Basil 2008 - The Daughter 2008 - Gods of War 2008 - The Trojans 2008 - Le Grand pere 2008 - Albert -  I Remember The Beach 2007 - I Remember The Beach II - My Cosmic Lady 2008 - On The Avenue - Space Pervades a Jar Drawings : Cyberman - Minatour - Fishlady - Italy - Kaspar - Madonna - Red Vessel - Ganesa - Cowboys - Sun - Fire Engine - Kneeling Woman - Blowing Bubbles - Bridge and Horse and Cloud - Kasper Hauser - Eyeball and Watering Can - Red Head - Bombay - Blue Eyes and monkey God - Blue Girl With Buddha

Explanations or justifications?

Western governments are the current target of terrorist revolt. But rather than learning from the past, they continue to hide behind a veneer of civilised values and moral purity. (on the eve of war).

Nuclear weapons and deterrence

Discusses deterrence theory in relation to the nuclear armed nations. Suggests the world may turn from the deterrence of war using nuclear weapons to deterring countries and other oganisations from their acquisition.

Disquiet on the research front : surveying the battle ground between researchers and human research ethics committees

In this paper, I play with the metaphors of war and peace (with apologies to Leo Tolstoy) as a strategy for describing the relations between (some) social science researchers and human research ethics committees. Even a cursory survey of recent literature reveals a raft of grievances and grumblings amongst researchers about the operation and decisions of research ethics committees. This paper presents a partial survey from both sides of some of the claims that have triggered this unofficial declaration of war, and discusses the implications for ethical research. My central argument is that the truly ethical moment lies in mutual and constructive conversations and critique between ethics committees and researchers.