“It is with gratitude in the past, and with confidence in the future, that we large ourselves without fear beside Britain, where she goes, we go! Where she stands, we stand!”
- NZ Prime Minister, Michael Savage
New Zealand Conflict Involvement
“In Flanders Fields the poppies blow Between the crosses row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields.”
-Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918)
The first conflict involvement that was most significant to New Zealand was that of the Maori Land Wars, also known as the Maori Wars or NZ Land Wars. It was actually a series internal wars between the new European settlers and the Maori tribes. The land wars took place between 1845-1872, and although the conflict was due to many factors, the most prominent issue was that of ‘Maori’ land being sold to new settlers. The proposal and signing of the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840 was aimed to be a contract between the British settlers and the indigenous Maori to guarantee the individual land rights of the many iwi (Maori tribes) with regards to the undisturbed possession of their lands, forests and fisheries as well as other taonga (treasures). However, many dubious activities occurred which still remains contentious to this day. Many pieces of land were in fact sold before the signing of the treaty. The Crown came up with a solution to ensure this did not happen again, this solution was in the form of The Right of Preemption will allowed Maori to sell land only to the Crown. However, many of the new settlers did not like the idea of having land communily owned by the Maori and gradually the provisions of the Treaty were ignored. The Maori on the other hand showed deep remorse for the complete rejection of the Treaty, this induced bitterness and resentment which eventually sparked the emergence of the NZ Land Wars.
“somewhere between the landing at Anzac and the end of the battle of the Somme New Zealand very definitely became a nation”
-Ormond Burton
(NZ soldier on Western front)
As the fires of the NZ land wars diminished a new inferno begun to rage in Europe after the assassination of Archduke of Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo, Bosnia in 1914. This War, known at the time as the Great War, resulted in the deployment of over 100,000 NZ troops far across the seas to such places as Gallipoli, Passchendaele and the Somme. For many of these New Zealanders it was the first time overseas, and hence bought with it many false hopes of adventure and joy. The location of NZ and therefore the great distance away the troops found themselves in turn caused a great sense of nationalism and awareness for their country to emerge. They were not just fighting in the name of the allies, but also for the protection of NZ. In total 2688 Maori and 346 Pacific Islanders fought as NZ’s in World War one. However, this conflict involvement in turn caused the death of over 18,500 soldiers with the further wounding of 50,000. The names of all those soldiers that died during the war are recorded on almost 500 civic memorials up and down NZ. One of the most significant poems to emerge out of WWI was that entitled “In Flander’s Fields” and is hence the reason why the symbol recognised at all remembrance ceremonies is that of the poppy.
The emergence of World War two was a shock to the world, as never again was it thought that such atrocities of WWI could ever happen again. However on the 3rd of September 1939 at 9.30 PM, NZ simultaneously to Britain called war on NAZI Germany. Nz has previously illustrated verbally is opposition of fascism in Europe and also it allegiance to its allies. Although it must be said that the many economic and defensive benefits also proved as a strong motivator into NZ’s conflict involvement, not to mention NZ’s still strong links with Britain as its “mother country.”
In total around 140,000 servicemen fought overseas with an extra 100,000 based in NZ on home guard duty. Major-General Bernard Freyberg saw the formation of the NZ 2nd division, which participated in active service in Greece, North Africa, Italy and Yugoslavia. was The toll for NZ was high, with 11,625 losing their lives WWII. The ratio of 6,684 dead per million of population in turn proved to be the highest of the entire Commonwealth.
The Vietnam War was yet another conflict that involved NZ. Between June 1964 and December 1972, 3500 NZ military personnel were involved in this conflict, this number when compared to that of WWI and II, is somewhat smaller, however in total 37 New Zealander’s in active service died and 187 were wounded. Due to the major players in this war being largely that of America and Vietnam the war, in Vietnam is entitled the American War. This war proved significant to NZ, as it was the first time that NZ did not fight with its main ally, Great Britain, and therefore instead illustrated NZ’s growing allegiance to the US and Australia and following ANZUS treaty. This war for NZ was shrouded in controversy in NZ, particularly with the emergence of knowledge around the use of agent orange, which resulted in Helen Clark in 2004 (NZ’s last Labour Prime Minister) apologising to NZ veterans for the exposure to such a toxic substance. This war also resulted in many protests, as depicted on the right.
