The end of the Vietnam War shifted the focus of the Cold War away from Asia and New Zealand's need for ‘forward defence’ diminished. The anti-war movement dropped post to the withdrawal of the last New Zealand military personnel from Vietnam in 1972 due to no longer having its largest political issue. New Zealand and the Vietnam War. Vietnam War. In 1963 Prime Minister Keith Holyoake agreed to send non-combatant troops into the Vietnam War. New Zealand Wars Ngā pakanga o Aotearoa; Memorial in the Auckland War Memorial Museum for those who died, both European and Māori, in the New Zealand Wars. These changes, together with the anti- This was recognised when a 1973 Auckland Resistance bookshop leaflet commented that the ‘great era of radicalisation’ was over. But while the American, Australian and New Zealand governments used it to justify their involvement, SEATO did not act collectively in this war, which some of its members opposed. New Zealand sent New Zealand Sevices Medical Team in Apriil 1967 where they served till 1969. 1975 - The first reunion of New Zealand Vietnam veterans was held. This topic covers the anti-war protests, defence forces, action in Vietnam, apology from the Crown, compensation for veterans and refugees from Vietnam. New Zealand goes to war. The Cold War. They provided surgial assistance to South Vietnamese civilians and encouraging the development of indigenous capacity in this field. And 37 New Zealand soliders died and 187 were wounded. As support grew for the anti-war movement in New Zealand so did support for the New Zealand Labour Party, this aided the party's rise to power in 1972. Between the late 1940s and early 1970s, New Zealanders fought in Korea, Malaya, Borneo and Vietnam. The anti-Vietnam war protest movement was significant in society, as it brought issues of the war from radical groups to the public and political landscape. During the 1950s the focus of New Zealand’s defence strategy shifted from the Middle East to Asia. Page 6 – Protest and dissent. Korean War. Prime Minister Keith Holyoake didn’t question the morality of New Zealand involvement but he did doubt whether the war could be won. The anti-war movement was hindered by internal division and hypocrisy as no further action was taken against the war in Vietnam after the withdraw of New Zealand troops. On the other hand, he believed that he had to play down the crisis in Vietnam to prevent alarm about a looming war in Southeast Asia from eclipsing all interest in his domestic priorities. A total of 3890 New Zealanders took part in the Vietnam war. SEATO has been commonly cited as the key reason for New Zealand’s participation in the Vietnam War. By the end of the war, 3400 New Zealanders had fought in Vietnam with casualty figures of 37 dead and 187 wounded. 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