War and Society

The 19th-century wars - including the Musket Wars and New Zealand Wars - changed the face of New Zealand.

The South African ('Boer') War took New Zealand troops to a foreign battlefield for the first time.

The First World War had a seismic impact on New Zealand, reshaping the country's perception of itself and its place in the world.

It remains the world's greatest-ever conflict. The Second World War claimed the lives of 50 million people, including 1 in every 150 New Zealanders.

They were conflicts that were part of the 'Cold War'. Between the late 1940s and early 1970s, New Zealanders fought in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam.

Individual New Zealanders have participated in a number of international conflicts that saw no official involvement by the New Zealand government.

Essays about war memorials from the South African and First World Wars and features on objects of war and military mascots