POPULAR HISTORY OF THE WAR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 224, 10 June 1918, Page 6

POPULAR HISTORY OF THE WAR

Sir,—We aro living in the. midst oE the most momentous conflict in tho history of mankind. .Tho issue will determine whether the men and women of tho future shall live under the sliadow of a military despotism or whether tho .. principles of Christianity shall prevail and nations, like individuals, have their duties as well as their rights. If tho woild after the war is .'not moro free, and if smaller nations are not protected from aggression, tho lives of millions oi! soldiers of tho Allied armies will havo been laid down in vain. In this great struggle Now Zealanders havo taken an. honourable and glorious part. Wo whoare living know tho spirit which haa animated our soldiers and the sacrifices which they have made, but those who como after lis can only learn these things from tho pages of history. The time to record the spirit of the war ia while the moving scenes of this great; drama are/before our eyes. In addition to tho official Imperial . history of the war, which will be propared under tho authority of the Committeo of Imperial Defence, tho Government of New Zealand havo decided to publish a special history of the New Zealand Expeditionary lorce, in which tho deed 6of our soldiers in tho "farflung battle line" will bo written, it isi hoped, in a manner worthy of tha theme, not from the point of viow oi! the military critic, but with a sympathetic knowledge of the bravo spirit ia which they met the hardships and sufferings which they were called upon to face. Before such a history can be written materials must first be collected. Soldieis in their letters and diaries give plain but vivid pictures of their lives in camp,, on leave, and at tho front. These aro especially valuable to an historian as intimate records of the war. An advertisement 1 appears in this issue asking that those who possess letters of special interest should forward them to the Director of Base Records, who will make- suitable extracts and return them without delav. J. should also bo glad if patriotic, societies and soldiers' clubs\ would interest themselves in this project ami endeavour to obtain suitable material for a true soldiers' history, of tho war.-< I am, etc., ..,„„ .1. ALLEN, Minister of Defence, June, 1918.