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To: NZerFromHK
Yes, there is also an admirable lack of bureaucracy everywhere. What Americans dislike is NZ's pacifist foreign policy, which seems to have arisen from the searing experience of World War I, when the British dispatched NZ troops to Turkey, where they were wiped out. This experience soured New Zealand on war, not to mention its formerly close relationship with Mother England. Even small towns in NZ have elaborate WW I memorials to this day.
12 posted on 02/01/2006 5:41:28 AM PST by BlazingArizona
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To: BlazingArizona
What happened in Gallipoli still resonates bitterness in NZ and Australia. It was shameful. But it seems the Aussies have gotten over it.
14 posted on 02/01/2006 12:50:25 PM PST by Sam Gamgee (May God have mercy upon my enemies, because I won't. - Patton)
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To: BlazingArizona

I'm interested that you trace NZ's current policy back to World War 1. I'm sure there were strong pacifist sentiments in NZ between wars. But pacifism and isolationism were a common reaction to WW1 - think of the efforts Britain took to avoid war with Germany prior to WW2, or indeed the fact that the US didn't join the war till attacked in 1941. None of that stopped young Brits, Americans, Kiwis, Aussies, Indians et al serving their countries with distinction from 1939-45, and for many of those countries again in Korea and Vietnam.

I don't agree that WW1 "soured" NZ on Britain. As he declared war in 1939, our Prime Minister said we "range ourselves without fear by Britain. Where she goes, we go; where she stands, we stand." Sound sour to you? I'd be tempted to look much later for the psychological break - probably to Britain joining the EEC in the early 1970s.


18 posted on 02/03/2006 3:23:15 PM PST by Aneirin
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