Many New Zealanders may not know that our nation played a crucial role on this day. An estimated 10,000 New Zealanders supported the landings as pilots, crew members, and sailors in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy. They flew bombers, fired from warships, and steered landing craft onto the beaches of Normandy – all under heavy enemy fire.
Although no New Zealand ground troops landed on 6 June, individual New Zealanders were involved from the start. In the following weeks and months, thousands of our soldiers fought for the liberation of France and the defeat of Nazi tyranny.
The heroic efforts of New Zealanders and their Allied comrades-in-arms in Normandy laid the foundation for the West as we understand it today: a community of values and defence, standing up for the principles of liberty and human rights.
Eighty years later, the West faces new challenges. Authoritarian regimes like Russia and China are challenging the rules-based world order, striving for dominance, and suppressing aspirations for freedom – sometimes by brute force, as Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine shows.
At the same time, internal crises and self-doubt are shaking the pillars of a liberal democratic order.
Now, even as Western values seem more contested than ever, New Zealanders should reflect on our nation’s role in defending the freedom and democracy.
In today’s complex geopolitical landscape, standing with like-minded nations is essential for safeguarding the rules-based international order.
New Zealand must be prepared to contribute to this effort, both diplomatically and, if necessary, militarily. Such preparedness requires strategic investments in our defence capabilities and strengthening partnerships with allies who share our commitment to the principles of liberty.
While the world has undergone significant changes since 1944, the fundamental ideals that our soldiers fought for on D-Day remain the bedrock of our society. The principles of liberty and the rule of law are not merely abstract concepts; they are the foundation upon which our prosperity and security are built.
This day should not just be about honouring the memory of D-Day veterans. It must also be about reaffirming our dedication to the values they upheld in the face of the threats to the pillars of a liberal democratic order in our time.
Dr Oliver Hartwich is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative think tank. This article was first published HERE.
The heroic efforts of New Zealanders and their Allied comrades-in-arms in Normandy laid the foundation for the West as we understand it today: a community of values and defence, standing up for the principles of liberty and human rights.
Eighty years later, the West faces new challenges. Authoritarian regimes like Russia and China are challenging the rules-based world order, striving for dominance, and suppressing aspirations for freedom – sometimes by brute force, as Putin’s war of aggression against Ukraine shows.
At the same time, internal crises and self-doubt are shaking the pillars of a liberal democratic order.
Now, even as Western values seem more contested than ever, New Zealanders should reflect on our nation’s role in defending the freedom and democracy.
In today’s complex geopolitical landscape, standing with like-minded nations is essential for safeguarding the rules-based international order.
New Zealand must be prepared to contribute to this effort, both diplomatically and, if necessary, militarily. Such preparedness requires strategic investments in our defence capabilities and strengthening partnerships with allies who share our commitment to the principles of liberty.
While the world has undergone significant changes since 1944, the fundamental ideals that our soldiers fought for on D-Day remain the bedrock of our society. The principles of liberty and the rule of law are not merely abstract concepts; they are the foundation upon which our prosperity and security are built.
This day should not just be about honouring the memory of D-Day veterans. It must also be about reaffirming our dedication to the values they upheld in the face of the threats to the pillars of a liberal democratic order in our time.
Dr Oliver Hartwich is the Executive Director of The New Zealand Initiative think tank. This article was first published HERE.
4 comments:
The 80th anniversary of D Day 1944 was a historic event of great importance for democracy.
Allies such as Australia and NZ were active elsewhere in the theatre of WW 2 action.
If the 80th anniversary of D Day 1944 was not commemorated in these countries, then something is radically wrong in their history.
One fears indigenous issues, CRT and the woke culture have obliterated what has made NZ a great nation on the world stage.
This will have serious consequences.
Lawrence Hogben DSC, a Kiwi, was one of the weather forecasters responsible for making the call to go on D Day.
Like most of his contemporaries, I expect that he would be disgusted that the democracy that was so hard won, was single handedly destroyed by Comrade Ardern and her Labour Gvt.
We now need a leader to restore NZ and that's not Luxon who has clearly signaled that he hasn't the guts to deal with anything other than the business of NZ , and not tackle the huge great brown elephant in the room.
Oliver, your sentiments are noble, highly desirable and conspicuous by their total absence in today’s nation. A quick review of events of the last 6 years should surely confirm that N Z like most western countries is in serious, possibly irretrievable decline and decay. It will be a Herculean task to arrest and reverse this process.
Thank you Oliver. As a German you are giving credit where it is due. Not all Germans were Nazis! My late mother befriended German POWs who were interned near her home in Surrey, England at the end of WWII. She loved her German folksongs and the young soldiers responded to her. If she had been on the front, she may have made all the men nostalgic for Heimat and the war would have been over sooner!
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