<< .... I don't think we have any debt to the USA out of WWII ... NZ ... entered the war the same day as Great Britain, [Pretty bloody stupid, eh?] ... the United States of America [Although it meanwhile poured Hundreds of Billions of Dollars of the confiscated wealth of its -- and therefore of the world's -- most creative, innovative, productive and industrious citizens into arming once great Britain and to carrying that sorry socialist state on its strong and broad and courageous back -- and to arming and equipping the Soviet Union] had more sense (And a Constitution and Rule of Law!) and waited until it] was attacked more than two years later. >>
No one doubts New Zealand's bravery [Or, least we forget, Australia's!] and no one [Outside of a couple of Mad pommy UEnicks who also failed to note once great Britain's 20th century plunge into squalid irrellevence] has missed that New Zealand suffered more 20th century per capita war casualties than any other Civilized Western Nation.
But I was in New Zealand during World War Two and know as simple fact that the only reason there is a bloody New Zealand any more is the United States Marine Corps, whose 5th and 6th Divisions were billeted around my home and who, along with many of their buddies, suffered more than 90% casualties in places like Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima where they turned the Pacific War around and beat and thrashed and arse kicked Hirohito's mass-murdering Jap monsters back to the nuclear proving grounds [Of around forty-eight too few devices!] also known as the land of the rising sun.
Brian, firstly a polite request. If you are going to quote me, please do so without adding your own comments
inside mine so that the quote ends up making no sense. Thanks.
You defend your countries initial unwillingness to assist western nations in a fight against the terrorism of the time, and then say that Marines into the Pacific saved New Zealand and Australia. If America had entered the war when other western nations did, New Zealand forces would not have been in Europe, North Africa and the Mid East when the Japanese threat emerged, but at home, ready to defend the homeland, there or in the Pacific. You surely must understand that when you transitted NZ, all its fighting men were already fighting anywhere but in NZ. If I was bombastic, I could say, oh, the only reason the US sunned itself for two years while other nations shed their blood for it, was for that very reason. Maybe the US owes a debt of gratitude to someone. Personally, I don't think the Japanese could have held New Zealand, or Australia, and certainly not both at the same time. If you had assisted us when the need was first there, who knows, maybe even the Atomic bomb drop would have been unneccsary.
'Cept for the SAS, New Zealand's army can go home and get back on the dole
Your personal opinion is noted. I also note New Zealand's unemployment rate is lower than in your own country.