Commonwealth (Civ3)/Civilopedia

The British Commonwealth of Nations was formed in 1931 consisting of Great Britain and
former British colonies with the British monarch as its symbolic head. In the area
threatened by Japanese forces during World War II, the Commonwealth was represented by
Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand and India. Great Britain still governed a number of
colonies, including Hong Kong, Malaya, Singapore, North Borneo, the Solomon Islands,
Vanuatu and Fiji. Papua New Guinea was also a colony, but Britain had transferred control
of it to Australia in 1906.
James Cook claimed both New Zealand and Australia for Great
Britain in 1769 and 1770 respectively. Settlement by Europeans followed and, although both
had by the early 20th century achieved at least partial independence, a feeling of loyalty
to Britain was still pervasive. By the time of World War II Australia and New Zealand had
separate armies but the acronym ANZAC, coined in World War I and standing for Australian
and New Zealand Army Corps, was often used when referring to troops from both countries.