"This is the first interpretive study of New Zealand over the period 1935-1991. It is based on years of research but it is also an original and thought provoking work which consistently takes a broader view. Malcolm McKinnon looks critically at the idea of independence in New Zealand's foreign policy, exploring the way New Zealanders thought about independence as well as the kinds of independence most commonly pursued and their implications in practice. He considers economic as well as political international relations; and he does not limit himself to official sources -- New Zealand public opinion plays an important role. While the focus of the first part of the book is the Second World War, the later chapters give illuminating insights into some recent issues in New Zealand foreign policy, such as the Vietnam War, relations with South Africa and the Pacific, and the anti-nuclear movement." -- Back cover.