New Zealand’s involvement in South East Asia in 1950-1970 differed from the involvement in the pacific for many reasons. New Zealand had many obligations due to agreement signed where as in the Pacific; New Zealand was seen as a trustee to several nations.
A key reason why New Zealand was involved in South East Asia was the agreements that had been signed between different countries, one of these being SEATO. SEATO allowed military intervention and also safeguarded South East Asia form communism which was a growing threat in Asia at that time. Another agreement signed was ANZAM, this agreement gave South East Asia stability and New Zealand contributed a large military force to protect it. This agreement also protected the country from communism, like SEATO. New Zealand’s involvement within Vietnam came through the SEATO agreement and indirectly from ANZAM. In Malaya and Malaysia, New Zealand proved its commitment to both agreements by providing a peace keeping force and other military assistance.
New Zealand’s assistance in the Pacific differed from the involvement in South East Asia because New Zealand had become a trustee to several Pacific nations. Tokelau Island, Cook Islands, Western Samoa and Niue all depended on New Zealand to administer and help out with their defense and foreign policy. New Zealand gives annual aid to Western Samoa. This is a change from the situation with South East Asia because New Zealand has been made a trustee and is being relied on, where as in South East Asia it had been called upon because of the agreements it had been tied to. It was more of an obligation than for the moral reasons that they were helping the Pacific for. We were often influencing the Pacific to become more independent and more alike to New Zealand, which was out of a moral reason rather than being influenced and pressured by the United States of America and Great Britain to contribute to South East Asia. We didn’t have an obligation to help the Pacific out...