Day 8 of the trip was a Saturday; Gulf War II had been in progress for
a day and half. We went off the complex to meet with the operators of
Team D, and then had lunch at the complex cafeteria (pepper steak and
chips). After that we visited the Australian War Memorial.

The War Memorial is an incredible place. It is, at one and the same
time, a memorial to all Australian soldiers who died in war and a museum
of military history.

The upper level is built like a shrine. You go up the steps, through
glass doors, a lobby, and more glass doors, and you’re in a courtyard.
At the far end is a chamber with a dome; if you go inside, you find
yourself in a darkened room with stained glass windows; the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier is at your feet. On either side of the courtyard, raised
above the floor, are two long galleries containing floor to ceiling metal
plaques. On the plaques you’ll find the names of the Australian war
dead, from Kitchener’s march on Khartoum to rescue “Chinese” Gordon
up to the war just before the current one. Many
of the names will have red flowers tucked in beside them. On the outside
of the galleries, visible from the courtyard, are the names of the places
Aussies have fought. Many were unfamiliar to me; others, like Gallipoli,
are known to everyone.

It was deeply moved the first time I was hear, in 1999; I was even more
affected this time, knowing that people might be dying in Iraq as I stood
there. Now, of course, I know that the casualty figures for both
soldiers and civilians have been unbelievably low–God be praised.

After visiting the memorial, we went downstairs to the museum, which is
simply enormous. It would take two or three days to do it justice. And
the tone is perfectly set. The War Memorial doesn’t glorify war; the
aches and pains and blood and guts of warfare are clearly documented.
The War Memorial doesn’t trivialize the reasons for war, either; the wars
for which Australians have fought and died are not dismissed simply as
the result of evil warmongers and arms merchants. And finally, the War
Memorial respects her own, the soldiers who fought. Their sacrifices are
recognized, but their accomplishments are celebrated.

The Australian War Memorial is unique; the United States has nothing
comparable.