New Zealand’sSearch for Security

1945 - 1985NCEA Level 1

Introduction

• New Zealand’s post- Second World War foreign policy included being involved with the United Nations, ANZUS and SEATO.

• NZ’s foreign policy, since 1970, became more independent shaped by both internal and external influences.

World War II

• 3 September 1939, PM Michael

Joseph Savage declared war on Germany

• June 1940 Curchill advised NZ that Britain could not match Japanese agression

• December 1941 Japanese forces attacked Pearl harbour

• 15 February 1942 Singapore fell to Japan

• NZ looked to the USA

• March 1942 An American division was sent to NZ

• 100,000 US servicemen spent leave in NZ during WWII.

• 1944 NZ and Australia signed Canberra Pact

Canberra Pact

• signed to:

• consult on areas of mutual interest

• Oppose placement of military installations in the region

• Support the principle of Trusteeship

• Set up a Regional Commission to advance economic, political and social development of the region.

Post-1945

• 26 June 1945, 51 countries signed UN charter.

• Peter Fraser continued principle of collective security.

• Unsuccessfully opposed veto of UN security council.

• NZ made free and independent state with Statute of Westminster 1947.

Commonwealth

• 49 members joined

• Former British dominions and colonies

• South Africa left.

• Defence, friendship and trade purposes

Military Alliances

1. ANZUS

2. SEATO

3. ANZAM/AMDA

ANZUS

• Signed 1951 between US, Australia and NZ• John Dulles signed for US, P. Spender for

Australia and Carl Berendsen for NZ• To: maintain and develop resources to

strengthen ability to resist attack• Consult if partner threatened in Pacific• Act to meet a common danger in accordance

with each members constitutional processes.• Recognised foreign policy shift from Britain to

USA

SEATO

• South East Asia Treaty Organisation signed Manila Pac 1951.

• To meet growing threat of communism in SE Asia.

• United States afraid of ‘Domino Theory’.• China and North Korea had become

communist• Broader security arrangement than

ANZUS

SEATO

• India, Indonesia and Malaysia never joined

• Weakened further when Britain withdrew in 1969

• Pakistan withdrew 1973

• France withdrew 1974

• Phased out by 1975

ANZAM/AMDA

• 1955 - Australia, NZ, and Malaya also incl British forces in area.

• Defence arrangement not a treaty• Commonwealth Strategic Reserve in Malaya

used against communists in the Malaya ‘emergency’. And confrontation against Indonesia in 1964-65.

• Revised to AMDA in 1975 when Malaysia became independent.

• Australia and NZ withdrew 1980 except NZ troops in Singapore.

Asia

• NZ changed focus from Europe to Asia post war

• Closer ties with US

• Korea

• Laos

• Malaya/Malaysia

• Vietnam

Korea

• July 1950 NZ sent troops to assist UN.

• 2 Frigates and 2000 volunteer troops

• Served in Commonwealth Brigade

• Fulfilled oblifgations to UN and also developed friendship with USA

Laos

• Pro-communist uprising in 1959

• Laos government appealed to UN

• 1962 SEATO became involved incl NZ

• Fall of South Vietnam led to Pathet Lao gaining control in Laos

Malaya/Malaysia

• 1955 NZ troops deployed as part of Commonwealth Strategic Reserve Forces (CSRF) in Malaya

• Fought communists during emergency• 1964-65 Further threat from Indonesia.• Sukarno objected to creation of

Federatiion of Malaysia and became confrontational.

• CSRF met threat until ceased in 1965.

Vietnam• 1962 Medical team to Vietnam• 1964 25 non-combat engineers• 1965 Artillery battalion to support Australia• 3,500 total commitment over time.• Holyoake justified it as SEATO commitment.• 1960 protests.• 1972 December troops withdrawn by Kirk• 35 killed, 187 wounded

Anti-war meeting poster

NZ and the Pacific

• Western Samoa

• Cook Islands

• Niue, Nauru, Tokelau

• South Pacific Commission

• South Pacific Forum

Western Samoa

• NZ gained Western Samoa under League of Nations

• 1947 Western Samoa established parliament

• 1961 voted for independence

• 1962 became independent but maintained links with NZ

Cook Islands

• Administered by NZ since 1901

• August 1965 became self-governing

• Open access to NZ

Niue, Nauru, Tokelau

• Niue independent in 1974, NZ responsibility for defence and foreign policy. Niue citizens are NZ citizens.

• Nauru. Adminstered by NZ, Australia and Britain until independence in 1968.

• Tokelau – still under NZ administration with islanders preferring this position.

South Pacific Commission& South Pacific Forum

• South Pacific Commission came out of Canberra Pact of 1944 and established 1947.

• Comprises representatives 27 countries.

• Promoted economic and social progress

• South Pacific Forum – established 1971. Trade, shipping and investment.

1970-1985

• Promoted policy of social and economic progress through aid programmes

• Bilateral aid direct between countries. Multilateral aid through third party such as Red Cross.

• Most aid focused on commonwealth countries then changed to ASEAN countries.

• Debate over whether the amount of aid is enough.

Foreign Policy since 1970

• Nuclear debate

• Nuclear Testing in Pacific

• ‘Rainbow Warrior’

• Nuclear Free NZ

• Rugby and Politics

Nuclear debate

• Frequent testing of nuclear

weapons in South Pacific since 1945• Bikini – Woomera – Christmas Island – Lop Nor

and Nagch – Nevada – Mururoa Atoll• NZ protested against this testing• 1963 Britain and USA and USSR signed treaty

against testing of nuclear weapons in atmosphere.

• France, China and India refused to sign

Nuclear Testing in Pacific

• France used Mururoa Atoll as nuclear test site throughout 1970s.

• 1972 Greenpeace vessels sailed into the region• 1973 NZ took France to Internatonal Court of

Justice and won.• France ignored order and continued.• NZ sent Cabinet Ministers and frigates to test

area.• France moved testing underground.

‘Rainbow Warrior’

• 10 July 1985 Greenpeace flagship Rainbow Warrior was sunk at Marsden Wharf, Auckland.

• Fernando Periera was killed.• French Government planned the attack.• 24 July 1985 two French secret agents were

arrested and charged.• France boycotted NZ exports• UN Secretary General was asked to mediate

and he released the agents and France paid NZ compensation.

Nuclear Free NZ

• Joint Military exercises held untl 1984.

• Nuclear powered vessels visited NZ until election of Labour Government – stopped visits. •US declared ANZUS

no longer workable.

•NZ was excluded from ANZUS Council in August 1986

•NZ’s staus was downgraded by the US.

Rugby and Politics

• 1960 protests in NZ against South Africa’s apartheid policy

• 1968 UN called for boycott of SA

• 1970 Rugby team of ‘Honorary Whites’ sent to SA

Rugby and Politics cont’d

• 1973 Rugby tour postponed• 1975 National supported sporting

ties and in 1976 Rugby union accepted invitation• 1977 Gleneagles Agreement adopted by

commonwealth.• Despite Gleneafgles a Springbok tour of NZ was

scheduled for 1981.• Major protests took place and NZrs were bitterly

divided.• Police and protesters clashed.

Conclusion

• Increased independence and sovereignty since 1945

• Less reliance on Britain and looked to USA

• Non-nuclear emphasis

• Looked to Asia and South Pacific

Bibliography

• Webb, Fountain, Hasler, Hearn-Rollo, Jarman, Lidstone, (2004), New Zealand’ssearch for Security 1945 – 1985, Auckland: ESA Publications. pp. 120-135.