Learning Intentions students are learning to...
- understand how the experience of World War II affected New Zealand attitudes and culture.
- consider the extent to which New Zealand was no longer able to rely completely on Britain at this time.
Success Criteria how do students know they have achieved the learning intentions?
- Students will be able to prioritise the reasons for for military training during the 1950s and the need for it currently.
- Students will be able to discuss and write short statements (or an essay for NCEA level 1, History) outlining how New Zealand was coming to rely less on Britain for defence.
Relevant Footage
Disk One:
Compulsory Military Training
Waiouru Training
Korea
Malaya
ANZUS
SEATO
Lesson Outline
- Begin by giving a brief outline of New Zealand’s experience during World War I. Chapter One of George Bowen’s Defending New Zealand, gives some diverse viewpoints from people who experienced the war. Introduce the idea that the war demonstrated that Britain was no longer capable of defending New Zealand or the Pacific. The war had also been a horrific experience for many New Zealanders and demonstrated to New Zealand that the threat of attack could be very real.
- Watch the footage on Compulsory Military training and/or Waiouru Training. In groups students can prioritise the need for military training in the 1950s (Worksheet Two: An Army Prepared) and report their group’s view back to the class. The exercise is then repeated, this time prioritising the need for any military training currently. This can provide a basis for discussion on the need for a defence force in New Zealand and the context of this during the 1950s.
- Discuss how realistic the statement, “even atomic warfare wont find this army unprepared” heard on the Waiouru Training footage is.
- Watch the footage on Korea, ANZUS and SEATO. Introduce the idea of collective security and the need for New Zealand to seek new allies in the Pacific, South East Asia and America. Highlight the idea that at this time New Zealand was still coming to terms with the fact that Britain had not been able to guarantee us protection in the Pacific during World War I. Contrast this with the continued close ties to the Empire seen in other footage; for Example the Royal Visit and Empire Games. Also note that the tone throughout remains very British.
- Students can note down their ideas and complete a group and class discussion guided by the questions on (Resource Three: New Directions). (Good summaries of SEATO can be found in New Zealand’s Search for Security NCEA Level One text books such as Bowen’s Defending New Zealand).
