War was declared on 4 August 1914. Six years later the world was 65 million people fewer -- 15 million died in the war and an estimated 50 million from the influenza pandemic that followed. The world was left to mourn loss the like it had never seen before. At this time Australia was little more than a decade old as a nation, but Australians entered the world war with great fervour. Her soldiers fought alongside Great Britain and the Allies to protect the motherland, to uphold the moral right against an awesome aggressor, and to protect her shores from the threat of Germany if Britain were to fall.

To mark the centenary of World War I Monash University Rare Books is presenting an exhibition to commemorate such an important phase in Australias history. It is fitting for the University named after Sir John Monash, Commander of the Australian Corps, to mark the event.

The exhibition is an online showcase of materials held in Rare Books. It will run for four years. Each year new material will be added on a chosen theme. Many items have been digitised and placed in the Monash University Research Repository in order to provide substance to the images provided here. Other libraries and museums in Australia are putting on similar exhibitions and it is hoped the material and themes presented here will add to the fuller picture with the presentation of some unique documents and lesser known items.

Australia's participation in World War 1 played a role in bringing the colonies together as one and helped forge a national identity. This was a far removed war and the reasons for Australias involvement were not clear cut and after several generations it can be difficult to imagine and understand what the war was like for the troops and what life was like at home.

In terms of collective memory, one hundred years is a long time. Today's view of the war is made up of many diverse bits of information. There are photographs and official histories. There are historical interpretations by historians removed by one or two generations. There are personal accounts and letters written to loved ones. In this exhibition we have brought together contemporary publications, manuscript items and realia to present the war as it was taken in and understood by Australians at home, our soldiers overseas and our children so many years ago.

There are a number of Monash University projects outside the Library that may be of interest to visitors. These are listed at the Monash Great War Centenary and include the One Hundred Stories community history project.