Raising the German flag, 1900

Raising the German flag, 1900

Samoa became a focus for the colonial ambitions of Britain, Germany and the United States at the end of the 19th century. In December 1899 America gained control of Eastern Samoa and Germany took over Western Samoa. The German flag was formally raised the next year. When the First World War broke out, New Zealand occupied Western Samoa, and administered it from 1919 to 1962 under a mandate from the League of Nations.