Ties of Blood and Empire

In two world wars New Zealanders left home to fight in the Middle East. When World War II was over, New Zealand remained committed to join Britain in defending its bases and lines of communications in the Middle East, should another major conflict break out. In 1956, after President Nasser of Egypt nationalised the Suez Canal, the British, French and Israeli governments colluded in an attempt to overthrow him by military means and restore international control of the canal.