cold war

New Zealand's position

New Zealand's alignment and participation in the Cold War was determined by the decision of the 1940s Labour government to back the United States and Great Britain (that concord was crucial) in their disagreements with the Soviet Union. The decision was questioned, though not overturned, by the Left, with communists and others claiming that Labour had rejected both peace and socialism.

The Cold War

• term used to describe the rivalry that developed after the Second World War between the United States and its allies on the one hand and the Soviet Union and its allies on the other;
• called the Cold War because it did not actually lead to direct fighting that is, a 'hot war' between the superpowers
• the Cold War was waged by means such as war by proxy (e.g. between North and South Korea), economic pressure, selective aid, diplomatic manoeuvre, propaganda, assassination and low-intensity military operations

The Asian 'theatre'

Asia was another 'theatre' of the conflict. The Communist victory in the Chinese civil war led New Zealand to accept commitments to assist in the defence of Hong Kong, and it continued to recognise the defeated Nationalist regime, based on Taiwan, even after Britain had recognised the new Communist government in Beijing. New Zealand also gave military support to anti-communist South Korea, albeit under United Nations auspices, when the communist North invaded, and its troops came into open conflict with Chinese Communist forces. Although resisting American pressure to be joined to Japan in a Cold War alliance, it did ally with the United States (in ANZUS) in 1951, and in doing so committed itself to American Cold War policy in Asia.

New Zealand's anti-nuclear stand

As had happened in the late 1950s, in the late 1970s and early 1980s the Soviet Union and the United States both enhanced their nuclear arsenals. This development reignited a peace movement worldwide. For New Zealanders there was a South Pacific focus. Initially provoked by French nuclear testing, from 1975 it was directed more at the United States' nuclear presence in the region. Reinforced by world trends, the New Zealand movement exploded in size in the early 1980s.

In 1985 the fourth Labour government clashed with the United States over its ban on port visits by nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed ships. This distanced New Zealand from its Cold War allies and led the United States to suspend its ANZUS obligations to New Zealand. Nevertheless, the depth of sentiment in New Zealand was such that the National Party also adopted Labour's 'anti-nuclear' stance in 1990. By then, with Soviet control having collapsed in east and central Europe, the Cold War was approaching its end.

Economist Dr William Ball Sutch, back at work after being acquitted of a charge under the Official Secrets Act.

He is seated at a desk with copies of the newly published book Spirit of an age: New Zealand in the seventies: essays in honour of W. B. Sutch, edited by John L. Robson and Jack Shallcrass. This photo was taken on 24 February 1975, seven months before Sutch's death on 28 September.

Even before his arrest, trial and acquittal on spy charges in the 1970s most New Zealanders had heard of Dr W. B. Sutch. He was a prominent citizen – known for his work as an economist, writer, public servant and diplomat.

This page contains a broad outline as to how the material on the Cold War could be used by teachers and learners studying history at NCEA Level 1 and in particular the popular topic of New Zealand's Search for Security 1945-1985.

Students in particular will find this to be a concise summary that will assist them with revision.

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