New Zealand has a tradition of commitment to the concept of collective security. It was a member of the League of Nations between the world wars and was active in the establishment of the United Nations in June 1945.
British troops surrendered to the Japanese at Singapore in February 1942. The loss of Singapore was the largest surrender in British military history and its greatest defeat since it lost its colonies in the American War of Independence.
In 1950 the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution to adopt 10 December as Human Rights Day. New Zealand has participated actively in human rights deliberations at the Assembly, with a particular emphasis on the rights of women, children and indigenous people.
This case study examines why and how New Zealand became increasingly involved in Asia after the Second World War, with particular emphasis on military involvement in Korea, Malaysia and Vietnam.
