New Zealand's Role in World War I

New Zealand's Involvement in World War I

• Germany's rise to power and policy of imperialism caused power balance adjustments in Europe.
• Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia with the help of Germany, leading to the formation of the Central Powers, and the Allies declared war on Germany.
• New Zealand, as part of the British Empire, sent troops to fight in World War I to maintain trade routes and aid Britain.
• The New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF) of 8,454 troops was formed and joined the ANZACs, which served as infantry in Gallipoli.
• The Māori Contingent, consisting of 500 men, offered their service to the British government, and 2,227 Māori soldiers served for New Zealand and the British Empire.
• The NZEF fought mainly on the Western Front, participating in major campaigns at Longueval, Arras, Messines, and Passchendaele.
• In 1918, Germany moved 30 divisions of troops towards the Western Front, leading to the NZEF's assistance at the Somme.
• America joined the Allies, allowing them to drive Germany back and recapture parts of France, leading to Germany's defeat in November 1918.
• The NZEF assisted with occupying part of Germany called the Rhineland, but returned to Britain by April 1918.
• The Spanish Flu pandemic made it difficult to celebrate the end of the war.
• The final New Zealand troops returned home in March 1920, two years after the war ended.
• The exclusion of Māori from the NZEF was reversed when the government realized Indian troops would be fighting for the British Empire, and different iwi held different views on going to fight.