The events described in this book span most of the period, from the end of the Second World War until close to the end of the century, when New Zealand began to think for itself, and stand on its own feet as an independent nation. It follows an important thread in the development of New Zealand foreign policy, in the contexts of intergovernmental negotiation and, as it must in a democracy such as ours, the expression of the popular will. The story begins with post-War investigations of possible peaceful uses of nuclear technology in New Zealand, and proceeds through many of the issues that have galvanised society - US and British nuclear tests in the Pacific, confrontations with France, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone, nuclear-powered ship visits and ANZUS, the Nuclear Free legislation. Malcolm Templeton is uniquely qualified to write this book, with his career in Foreign Affairs, and the immersion in official poapers which has produced his previous books on New Zealand's pro-British stand in the Suez Crisis, on the shift in our attitude to human rights and race relations in South Africa, and on our Antarctic policy.
He is a former New Zealand Foreign Service officer, who held a number of senior positions, including that of permanent representative to the United Nations, and Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs. Since then he has drawn on official archives to record some major aspects of New Zealand's diplomatic history, producing numerous papers and articles, and several books, including A Wise Adventure: New Zealand in Antarctica 1920-1960. Co-published with the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs.