|
 |
| 4 August 1914 (agreed to support Britain) |
|
|
|
|
| Self-governing dominion within the British empire (1901). A British governor-general appointed the federal government, but the two-tier parliament was elected by adult suffrage. Australian women gained the vote in 1902. |
|
|
|
|
Sir Ronald Munro-Ferguson: Governor-General, 1914-20
Joseph Cook: Prime Minister, 1913-14
Andrew Fisher: Prime Minister, 1914-15
William Hughes: Prime Minister, 1915-23 |
|
|
|
|
| 5 million people of European ancestry, plus 200,000 Aborigines |
|
|
|
|
| Australia's regular army was very small and was intended for home defence only. In 1914, it was backed up by a part-time militia of 45,000 men. When war was declared, Australia promised to provide Britain with 20,000 troops for imperial defence, and a new overseas force - the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) - was created. In 1914, the AIF joined with the New Zealand Army Corps to create the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, or Anzac. Australia contributed approximately 322,000 soldiers to the Allied cause during the war. |
|
|
|
|
| 1 battle-cruiser, 5 cruisers, 6 destroyers, 3 submarines (1914) |
|
|
|
|
| 60,000 dead, 152,170 wounded |
|
|
