Abstract:
This thesis charts the development of New Zealand's defence policy over 27 years, from the end of World War II to the conclusion of New Zealand's Vietnam involvement in 1972. Most primary research was done in Wellington, among files deposited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade in the New Zealand National Archives. This was supplemented by work on documents held by the Alexander Turnbull Library. Also, since the United States figured so largely in the history of the period covered by the thesis, an examination of American records was important. A visit to the US National Archives in Washington was made for that purpose and research there revealed a wealth of information previously unseen by New Zealand researchers. Allowing insights hitherto unobtainable, this added a fresh and valuable new perspective on the topic. Secondary sources included a wide variety of international and New Zealand authors. Also, numerous interviews were conducted with a select group of experienced and knowledgeable experts familiar with various aspects of the period and its events. During World War II and in the immediate post-war period, New Zealand's defence policy was integrated with that of the UK. Its purpose was to synchronize New Zealand's modest defence efforts with those of the UK to achieve British imperial objectives and help protect the position of the Western allies. By 1972, contrasting starkly with the situation in 1945, New Zealand had arrived at an entirely different position on defence. No longer did it interpret its primary purpose as contributing toward the achievement of British or US goals. The end of the Vietnam conflict was in view and New Zealand's role in South-East Asia was becoming a matter of helping to maintain stability. With a new Labour government at home, New Zealand had arrived at a more independent view of the world. This impelled the formulation of a foreign policy more clearly projecting New Zealand's autonomy. In turn, with its own interests at the forefront, New Zealand saw fit to adopt a new defence policy: complementary to its foreign policy and equally independent.
