War has been an unforgettable, powerful experience for many New Zealanders, and a defining element in the evolution of New Zealand as a nation. The South African War - the ""Boer War"" of 1899-1902 - was New Zealand's first overseas war, in which more than 6,000 people fought and 230 lost their lives. This collection of essays by leading historians presents various perspectives on New Zealand's involvement in this historical event. Opposition to the war, women and Maori in the war, the Australian perspective, and the Montreal Flag Riot of 1900 are all subjtects covered. Several distinguished overseas historians, inluding Tom Pakenham and Carman Miller, set the New Zealand effort in a wider imperial framework.