San Francisco treaty making and its implications for New Zealand

Abstract

The debate over the Japanese Peace treaty drew New Zealand into new relationships with the US and Australia – also challenging its traditional relationship with the United Kingdom. The Canberra Pact, signed in 1944, signalled acknowledgement by New Zealand and Australia of a mutual interest in the Pacific but they had different perceptions of the reality of a security threat there. While both countries favoured a harsh treaty with Japan after 1945, the Australian sense of the Japanese threat was greater. New Zealand regarded Europe as the most likely area of future conflict and was prepared to support the UK’s strategic interests there. As the US signalled a softer approach to a Japanese peace treaty, however, New Zealand joined Australia in seeking an American guarantee of their security. Australia was determined on a security treaty as the price for its support of a ‘soft’ Japanese peace treaty. New Zealand would have accepted a less formal guarantee but agreed to support the Australian line. They achieved their goal with the signature of the ANZUS treaty in San Francisco in September 1951 before the peace conference opened. New Zealand would have welcomed a restrictive Japanese peace treaty, but the ANZUS treaty provided security against a revival of Japanese power. New Zealand’s commitment to ANZUS was lukewarm. It continued to see its commitment to Commonwealth defence as its prime responsibility and failed to appreciate the significance of the new strategic arrangements in the Pacific.