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Documents Relating to New Zealand's Participation in the Second World War 1939–45: Volume II
463 — The Prime Minister of New Zealand (San Francisco) to the acting Prime Minister
463
The Prime Minister of New Zealand (San Francisco) to the acting Prime Minister
Your telegram of 12 May.3 I fully agree with the terms of Freyberg's proposed statement regarding replacement and possible page 430 future participation of the Division in the Pacific, and with War Cabinet's proposal that a similar statement should be made in New Zealand. I cannot usefully offer any comments on the future of the Division until I have received the Chiefs of Staff appreciation.1 I feel that we will need to take into consideration the effect on public opinion in New Zealand of Eisenhower's statement here that no soldier who has served in both the North African and European campaigns should be sent to the Pacific.
3 See Volume III, Proposals for Participation in Operations against Japan. Mr. Nash reported that there was general speculation in New Zealand on the future of the 2nd Division and public desire for a definite statement of the New Zealand Government's intentions. He stated that War Cabinet considered an interim statement should be made informing the public of the stage reached in the Government's negotiations.