... conscription...Against the Odds: The victory over conscription in World War One...The Trade Unions' Anti-Conscription Campaign...Work on Paper: 'Conscription and Woman's Loyalty, Page 1', 1917... as reports came in of mounting casualties, including the deaths of many known to the community.
At the same time, as casualties mounted, military and political leaders called out for more soldiers. Conscription started to be raised as a possibility...Prime Minister Billy Hughes announced his support for conscription when he returned from visiting Britain in early 1916.
In November 1915, just before departing for Britain, Hughes made a speech in which he promised that Australia would send... Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick and Coburg. In many ways, these localities were a microcosm of the entire campaign. Against the Odds: The Victory Over Conscription in World War One tells the story of the anti-conscription movement in Australia during World ...
In October 1916 and December 1917 two contentious referendums were held in Australia, asking whether the Commonwealth government should be given the power to conscript young men into military service and send them to war overseas.
These campaigns were momentous and their legacy long-lasting. This is the only time in history that citizens of a country have been asked their opinion about such a question, and the decisive 'No' vote that was returned remains the greatest success of the peace movement in Australia to date. Yet the campaigns split families, workplaces and organisations, and left an imprint on Australian politics that lasted for decades.
Many of the actors and events that were central to these campaigns were based in the northern Melbourne suburbs of Brunswick and Coburg. In many ways, these localities were a microcosm of the entire campaign. Against the Odds: The Victory Over Conscription in World War One tells the story of the anti-conscription movement in Australia during World War 1 through this lens.
