Marines Arrival


When World War II broke out in 1939, New Zealand gave total support to Britain, sending its army to the Mediterranean. However, by 1942, Singapore had fallen and Japan’s armies threatened the South Pacific. At Churchill’s request, the New Zealand government agreed to leave its army in North Africa. Because New Zealand was an ideal start line for rolling back the Japanese invasion, U.S. Marines were sent here to prepare for the Pacific War, while at the same time protecting the country from the imminent threat of Japanese invasion.


Photo Gallery

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External Links

From New Zealand History online: The arrival of US Forces in New Zealand