Manpower Mobilization and Rehabilitation in New Zealand’s Second World War

This chapter recounts how New Zealand's initial role in the Second World War was precipitated by Germany's invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939. It discusses how New Zealand aligned itself with Britain, stating that it would go wherever it goes and stand wherever it stands, which was an acknowledgment that New Zealand's fate depended on the outcome of the British Commonwealth's war effort. It also refers to New Zealand's contribution to the Allied military effort overseas, which included supplying Britain with vital food and other resources. The chapter talks about the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), which was initially formed on the basis of voluntary enlistments in 1914. It elaborates New Zealand's need to provide for its own physical security, which introduced a new element that involved major strategic and domestic policy decisions.