The New Zealand Wars and the Victorian Interpretation of Racial ConflictThe New Zealand Wars is a powerful revisionist history. Revealing the enormous tactical and military skill of Maori, and the inability of the 'Victorian interpretation of racial conflict' to acknowledge those qualities, this account of the New Zealand Wars changed how the country's history was understood. Belich undertakes a complete reinterpretation of the crucial episode in New Zealand history and the result is a very different picture from the one previously given in historical works. Maori, in this new view, won the Northern War and stalemated the British in the Taranaki War of 1860-61 only to be defeated by 18,000 British troops in the Waikato War of 1863-64. The secret of effective Maori resistance was an innovative military system, the modern pa, a trench-and-bunker fortification of a sophistication not achieved in Europe until 1915. According to the author: 'The degree of Maori success in all four major wars is still underestimated - even to the point where, in the case of one war, the wrong side is said to have won.' Here, Belich sets out to show how historical distortions have arisen over time and revises our understanding of New Zealand history by using fresh evidence and a systematic re-analysis of old evidence. |
Contents
Acknowledgements | 10 |
A Limited | 31 |
The Ohaeawai Campaign | 45 |
Copyright | |
17 other sections not shown
Other editions - View all
The New Zealand Wars and the Victorian Interpretation of Racial Conflict James Belich Limited preview - 2015 |
Common terms and phrases
AJHR Arawa army assault attack Auckland battle British bush Cameron campaign casualties chiefs CN/O Colonel colonial colonists command constabulary contemporary Cowan Papers decisive defeat defence Despard Despite DQMG Journals East Coast effect enemy European expedition fact fighting fire FitzRoy force garrison Gate Gate Pa Grey Grey's hapu Haultain Heke Heke's historians Imperial interpretation July June Kawiti killed King Movement Kingite Kooti kupapa land London Mair Maori resistance Maori War March McDonnell McLean Meremere New-Zealander Ngai-te-Rangi Ngatapa Ngati Kahungunu Ngati Maniapoto Ngati Porou Ngati Ruanui Ngutu Ohaeawai operations Orakau Pai Marire Pakeha party Paterangi peace position Poverty Bay Puketakauere raiding Ranga Rangiaowhia Rangiriri redoubt Report Rewi Ringatu River Sept settlers strategic success supply tactical Tamehana Taranaki Tauranga Te Kooti tion Titokowaru tribes troops Tuhoe Urewera victory Waikato Waikato War Wairoa Waitara Wanganui warriors Wellington Whitmore Whitmore's Williams wounded Zealand Wars