influenza pandemic

Comparing pandemics

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  MCH Senior Historian Elizabeth Cox has been pondering the similarities and differences in New Zealand’s response to the 1918 flu pandemic, and the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Here are some of her preliminary thoughts.

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• Page 2 – Activities: Comparing pandemics

  Looking at our experiences of two pandemics a century apart provides an ideal opportunity to explore a number of important historical thinking concepts that those of you

The 1918 influenza pandemic

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  The lethal influenza pandemic that struck New Zealand between October and December 1918 killed about 9000 people in two months. No other event has claimed so many New Zealand lives in such a short time.

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• Page 2 – The pandemic begins abroad

  The 1918 influenza pandemic was commonly referred to as ‘the Spanish flu’, but it did not originate in Spain.

• Page 3 – The pandemic hits New Zealand

  Many people believed that the second wave of the 1918 influenza pandemic arrived in New Zealand as ‘a deadly new virus’ on board the RMS Niagara.

• Page 4 – Uneven rates of death

  No other event has killed so many New Zealanders in so short a space of time. While the First World War claimed the lives of more than 18,000 New Zealand soldiers over four

• Page 5 – Response to the influenza pandemic

  There was a degree of consistency in New Zealand's response to the influenza pandemic, thanks to a telegram the Health Minister, George Russell, issued to all borough councils

• Page 6 – Māori and the flu, 1918–19

  Historian Geoffrey Rice suggests that higher death rates among Māori (more than eight times those for Pākehā) may have resulted from lower immunity due to their isolation

• Page 7 – Aftermath

  Robert MakgillFollowing the pandemic, speculation about the Niagara's role in bringing the virus to New Zealand continued.

• Page 8 – North Island influenza death rates

  Death rates from the 1918 influenza pandemic for towns and counties in the North Island

• Page 9 – South Island influenza death rates

  Death rates in South Island towns and counties from the influenza pandemic

• Page 10 – Influenza in Samoa

  The total number of deaths attributable to influenza is estimated as 8500, 22% of the Samoan population

• Page 11 – Further information

  This web feature was written by Imelda Bargas and produced by the NZHistory.net.nz team.

Armistice Day

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  After four terrible years, fighting in the First World War finally ended with the signing of an armistice between Germany and the Allies on 11 November 1918. New Zealanders celebrated enthusiastically, despite having recently celebrated the surrenders of the three other Central Powers and the premature news of an armistice with Germany.

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• Page 2 – Pre-Armistice Day surrenders

  From 1 October 1918 New Zealanders progressively celebrated the surrenders of Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire and Austria-Hungary before the armistice with Germany on 11 November

• Page 3 – False armistice

  On 7 November 1918 the Prime Minister assured the public - following rumours to the contrary - that the government was not holding back news of a German surrender. The next

• Page 5 – Armistice Day and the flu

  The influenza pandemic dampened some armistice celebrations, particularly in Auckland.

• Page 7 – New Zealand in 1918

  Some facts and stats about New Zealand in the year the First World War ended

New Zealand in Samoa

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  New Zealand was ill-equipped to cope with the Western Samoa mandate it was allocated by the League of Nations in 1920. The Mau movement's passive resistance culminated in the violence of 'Black Saturday', 28 December 1929, which left 11 Samoans and one New Zealand policeman dead.

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• Page 2 – Background

  When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, Britain asked New Zealand to seize German Samoa as a 'great and urgent Imperial service'.

1919 peace celebrations

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  Although the guns fell silent on 11 November 1918, peace wasn't officially proclaimed until 28 June 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed. In July 1919 communities throughout New Zealand and the Empire celebrated peace with elaborate public events over several days.

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• Page 2 - Planning gets under wayAlmost immediately after the armistice, communities throughout New Zealand and the Empire began to plan elaborate celebrations that would mark the official end of the war in a

Pacific Islanders in the NZEF

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  Cook Islanders, Niueans, Fijians and Gilbert Islanders all took their place in the ranks of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force during the First World War. As well as the dangers of war, Pacific soldiers faced language difficulties, an unfamiliar army diet and European diseases.

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• Page 4 – Fijian and Gilbert Island Contingents

  Information about men from Fiji and the Gilbert Islands who enlisted for service in the NZEF.

• Page 5 – Difficulties faced by Pacific Islanders

  Information on the difficulties faced by Pacific Islanders when they left their island homes for the first time and entered the army.

Pacific aftermath

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  Participation in the First World War changed Pacific Islanders' lives. Returning servicemen had seen the world.

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• Page 3 - Troop repatriationWhen the armistice was signed in November 1918, Pacific island troops in New Zealand service were stationed in a number of

Capture of German Samoa

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  When war broke out in Europe in August 1914, Britain asked New Zealand to seize German Samoa as a ‘great and urgent Imperial service’. Although the tiny German garrison offered no opposition, at the time it was regarded as a potentially risky action.

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• Page 4 - Wartime administrationGerman officials were replaced by New Zealand military officers, civilians, or British residents. These often lacked the experience or qualifications to do the

NZ Railways at war

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  The railway system and its workforce was one of the most valuable assets available to the New Zealand state to support the national effort during the First World War

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• Page 5 - Manpower challenges at homeHow did New Zealand Railways (NZR) keep up its massive manpower commitments during the First World War, while still maintaining services to its