World War Two
'Undefeated men in a defeated army' Cretan historian on the Maori Battalion
For Anzac Day Māpuna takes a look back at a special episode from 2023 when producer Tama Muru visited the Greek island of Crete to delve into the history of the battle in 1941 which pitted New… Audio
British 'Schindler' has his story told on the big screen
Boxing Day films are usually blockbusters with big special effects but One Life (starring Sir Anthony Hopkins) tells an epic story that is powerfully human at the same time. It's about Sir Nicholas… Video, Audio
Soldiering on: 'There's no way that farm could have run without her'
Rhoda McWhannell ran her Waikato farm almost single-handedly when her husband went to war during WWII. She wrote a journal of her daily struggles, weaving in her wry observations about war and love of… Audio
Nauru govt declares detonating WW2 old bomb as 'dangerous'
Nauru govt declares detonating WW2 old bomb as 'dangerous'. Audio
The deadly remnants of a war that won't go away
What do we do about cleaning up the bombs left behind in the Pacific after World War II? Audio
Taranto to Trieste - following the 2nd New Zealand Division in Italy
Italy-based Jennifer Mallinson began to wonder what happened to the 14,000 New Zealand soldiers who arrived in Italy in 1944 and spent 20 months fighting in Italy's mountainous areas. Her book From… Audio
Untold stories of World War 2
We know the story of World War Two, the causes, the atrocities, the battles. But what about what life was like during the war? What were the experiences of New Zealanders? Author Renée Hollis wants to… Audio
Emily Mayhew talks about Kiwi surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe
New Zealand born plastic surgeon Sir Archibald McIndoe was ground-breaking in his field. McIndoe was civilian consultant in plastic surgery to the RAF and his improvement on treatments to casualties… Audio, Gallery
Nazi Hoax: the story of Syd Ross
Nazi "assassins", mischievous con-artists and power hungry spies... Black Sheep investigates how a pair of hoaxers convinced the government that New Zealand had been infiltrated by Nazi agents. Audio
Rukuhia War Letters
Rukuhia Homestead is just south of Hamilton. It's been owned by the Glenn family since 1925 and when Val Glenn moved into what had been her grandparents house, she found a box of letters written… Audio
Commissioned: Local Government Commission Chair Sir Wira Gardiner
Sir Wira Gardiner is chair of the Local Government Commission overseeing our 78 local authorities, 11 regional councils and 67 territorial authorities. Rodney, Waiheke and the Wairarapa could all have… Audio
To the Memory - NZ's War Memorials
There are over 1000 war memorials throughout New Zealand. Historian Jock Phillips' new book To The Memory explores the stories behind the stone. Audio
Peter Gilderdale - Our Postcard Past
Postcard historian Peter Gilderdale joins Wallace to talk about New Zealanders' love affair with postcards, from the very early days where postcards functioned as the Twitter of the day to their… Audio, Gallery
Son of Saul
Oscar-winner Son of Saul is directed by Hungarian film-maker László Nemes. It takes an uncompromising look at a Nazi concentration camp. Audio
WWII diary casts shadow on NZ's 'fair-go' reputation
John Pratt from the Institute of Criminology at Victoria University has edited the diary. He says it sheds new light on an era that was dominated by a rigid insistence on conformity. He also warns… Audio
Nazi train hunt on in Poland
Authorities in Poland are refusing to reveal the exact location of what may be a long-rumoured Nazi train filled with gold and jewels.
Feature interview - Mary Taylor Previte
When Mary Taylor Previte was 9-years-old she was a girl guide doing what girls guides do, singing songs at troop meetings, earning badges and doing her best to live up to the Guide pledge. But Mary's… Audio