New Zealand is an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. First settled by Maori from Polynesia, New Zealand became a colony in the British Empire in 1840. During the 19th century, New Zealand experienced several conflicts between the settler colonists and Maori (known as the New Zealand, or Maori, [Page 1212]Wars), and its 20th-century battlefield engagements revolved around the active participation in both World Wars (1914–1919; 1939–1945) and the Vietnam War (1964–1975).

These three wars had different ramifications on the public memory of New Zealand. The commemoration and function of public memory after World War I bonded the nation together in solemn appreciation and mourning for the fallen soldiers, notably through the growth of Anzac Day (April 25). Anzac references both the Australian and New ...