Initiate Phase One
Leading up to the revolutionary anti-nuclear protest movement and the climatic bombing of the Rainbow Warrior on the 10th of July 1985, there were a number of causes that would become the impetus for this radical action. The most significant causes were the ANZUS Alliance that was signed in 1951 and the nuclear tests that were conducted in French Polynesia. It was predominantly these two events, in conjunction with a few other minor happenings, which would later propel New Zealand into the international nuclear limelight- engaging in heavy political disputes with France and establishing New Zealand as a firm anti nuclear nation.
ANZUS Alliance 1951The ANZUS Alliance was signed in 1951 by the pacific powers of Australia and New Zealand, as well as the United States. With the threat of communism beginning to grow and magnify into the pacific, New Zealand and Australia looked for protection. ANZUS formally extended the United States’ involvement into the South Pacific region as it gave them the right to respond to any communist attack on their allies and thus the treaty recognized that an armed attack in the pacific would threaten the peace and safety of New Zealand and Australia. Each signatory pledged to ‘act to meet the common danger’.
Pictured above: A miniature Gough Whitlam (Australian Prime Minister 1972-1975) sheepishly holds a sheet of paper titled "Nuclear Free Zone". The implication is that New Zealand and Australia are too insignificant to argue with the enormous and powerful United States over nuclear issues. New Zealand’s search for security transformed with the spread of communism and Britain’s demise in 1942. After the British surrendered to the Japanese at Singapore in 1942, New Zealand’s trust and confidence in Britain’s ability to protect the wider aspects of its empire was seriously undermined. Thus an exposed New Zealand looked elsewhere for protection, eventually leading to the signing of the ANZUS alliance in 1951. A United Nations Charter was signed in 1942 by 51 nations, which pledged to uphold the collective security of the signing nations. New Zealand’s involvement in the charter reflected the nation’s quest for a powerful ally to assume Britain’s protective role in the national security of the nation. By this stage, the United States was the dominant pacific power. To prevent the further spread of communism, America relied on an independent Japan. New Zealand and Australia were weary that Japan could threaten the pacific region, further revealing the need for an alliance that would re-affirm the support against the communist movement. All three of the signing nations, as part of the alliance, agreed to commit the necessary funds into providing and developing mobile military resources that were able to be used in retaliation against a communist attack. Each party would also be required to notify the other ‘members’ of any communist threat or danger that began to surface in the pacific region. The ANZUS Alliance proved to be successful for a significant period of time- neither New Zealand nor Australia were harmed or threatened by the growing communist concern that had developed in the pacific region. However, in the 70’s and 80’s New Zealand would be severely pressured by the United States to have further involvement in the nuclear realm, leading to the demise of the alliance. New Zealand had once again pledged its devotion to the cause,perhaps with greater meaning than was advertised, alongside the greater American power by agreeing to ban nuclear atmospheric testing in 1963. The treaty was termed the “Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty” and was signed on the 5th of August 1963 in Moscow, it was signed by: the British, the United States, the Soviet Union and New Zealand. Despite illustrating a common interest with the United States, in this regard, New Zealand’s relationship with the nuclear powered nation slowly began to disintegrate. The arrival of the USS Truxtun and USS Long Beach in 1976, revealed the nation’s discomfort of nuclear powered/armed warships, as there was nation wide protest. Similar protest action was mirrored in 1978 with the arrival of the submarines: USS Pintado in 1978 and the USS Haddo in 1979. On each occasion the Civil Defence established a public safety headquarters for the duration of each visit. The level of attention that was directed towards the arrival of these US ships was an apt representation of the nations’ understanding of the risks involved when dealing with this type of technology. The issue surrounding New Zealander’s protest action was whether or not the warships were nuclear armed as well as nuclear powered. When confronted, American policy enabled them to ‘neither confirm nor deny’ these accusations. It was an unusual request by New Zealand, as majority of the United State’s allying nations chose not to question this, so as to avoid being put in an uncomfortable position. After frequent visitation of US, supposedly nuclear powered/armed, destroyers and submarines, public opinion began to swing in favour of banning these visits. Over a period of five years between 1978 and 1983 public opposition to nuclear-armed ships visiting rose from 32% to 72%. Despite the escalating tensions of the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union, New Zealanders expressed more concern towards the presence of nuclear active boats and submarines in their waters. The public agreed with Labour party’s David Lange statement that “there’s only one thing worse than being incinerated by your enemies, and that’s being incinerated by your friends”. It was because of the previous ANZUS Alliance that the New Zealand government felt obliged to allow such visits to occur so as to uphold the secure relationship. This was National’s opinion- headed by Robert Muldoon he believed that these visits were an important expression of New Zealand’s position with the United States in conjunction with the ANZUS Alliance. With continued disapproval from the public, pressure from the United States, growing support in favour of the Labour party, headed by David Lange, and the upcoming elections, New Zealand was forced to make some critical decisions. ANZUS had achieved its short-term goal of providing immediate protection from the communist threat, however its longevity and legitimacy would be questioned in these years of the anti-nuclear protest movement as New Zealand was deemed to not be “pulling it’s weight”. The 1951 ANZUS Alliance would become one of the founding long-term causes that would later contribute and affect New Zealand’s anti-nuclear stance. Top of the page: A photograph of the USS Buchanan, which became a point of controversy
in 1984 as it requested entry into New Zealand's anti-nuclear waters |
Bombs AwayAlongside the 1951 ANZUS Alliance, the French were conducting frequent nuclear tests in the pacific region. ANZUS and these nuclear tests would become the nucleus of New Zealand’s protest movement. Between 1966 and 1974 France conducted 41 nuclear atmospheric tests at the atolls in French Polynesia. After the public learned of the New Zealand military's participation in nuclear tests with the British and United States in Nevada, the pacific and Australia- their concerns were first established. New Zealand’s continued involvement in the conduction of these nuclear tests in the pacific, alongside the more dominant French army, would become one of the main long-term causes of the anti-nuclear protest movement. New Zealand would be nationally debating the captivating topic of nuclear testing in French Polynesia for a period over 20 years from the 1950’s to the 1970’s. Thousands of people felt uncomfortable with the idea of nuclear tests taking place just across the pacific, and thus they congregated to express their concerns. In an attempt to satisfy the growing public concern over New Zealand’s involvement in the nuclear sphere, the government signed the “Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty” on the 5th of August 1963 in Moscow. For the New Zealand public, this illustrated a government that had listened to its people and had taken a step towards the discontinuation of nuclear technology. However, the signing of this treaty would demonstrate loyalty to the United States by supporting their decision to ban atmospheric testing as well as re-affirming their position with the United States as part of the ANZUS Alliance. It was for these reasons that it was in New Zealand's best interests to sign the treaty.
Pictured below: A protest march against French nuclear testing in the pacific- Willis St, Wellington 1972 French: Nukes R UsIn order from left to right:
Picture 1: A photograph taken in 1968 by the French Army of one of the nuclear tests that was carried out in the Fangataufa atoll (codenamed "Licorne") Picture 2: A photograph captured of the nuclear testing that was conducted in the Mururoa Atoll in 1970 (Point Zero Canopus) Picture 3: A map illustrating the position of New Zealand with respect to French polynesia- reflects how close the nuclear tests were to NZ shores NZ says "No thank you"Pictured above: Australian prime minister Bob Hawke and United States President Ronald Reagan act as supporting pillars of the ANZUS Alliance, whilst New Zealand, represented by David Lange, refuses to participate.
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Key Ideas
New Zealand's ties to the United States, as part of the ANZUS Alliance that was signed in 1951, would become a prerequisite for the following anti-nuclear protest action that would ensue in the following years. The conduction of nuclear tests by the United States, Britain and France and the New Zealand military's participation in these tests in the 1950's, would stimulate widespread protest action from the New Zealand public. With the arrival of a series of US military ships and submarines such as the USS Truxton and USS Haddo in the mid 1970's, New Zealand's public would further express their growing concerns over the nation's involvement in the nuclear sector. The Alliance had achieved its short term goal of protecting New Zealand and Australia against the communist threat, however its continued existence would be seriously questioned with societies new found protest action. To add to the already developed disapproval of nuclear weapons and energy, France conducting nuclear tests in the pacific would provide a further reason to protest. The tests were being held too close for comfort for New Zealand society and thus initial protest action would lead to further drastic protest demonstrations. Some solace was provided to the New Zealand public as New Zealand signed the 1963 "Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty". New Zealand's signing of this treaty would have double meaning to its society and the United States. For the public it reflected a government that had listened to its people's pleads, whilst for America it would consolidate their position alongside them as a member of ANZUS, as well as proving that they are well involved in all things nuclear. However with increasing protest action, the government would become under serious pressure, ultimatley leading to a change of government. David Lange would answer the people's calls, to the dissatisfaction of the United States, eventually leading to them freezing the existing ANZUS Alliance. The government was criticised of not "pulling it's weight".