Samoan Civil War

Main article: History of Samoa

First Samoan Civil War
Date 1886–1894 Location Apia, Upolu, Samoa, Pacific Ocean Result Malietoa Laupepa restored to power
Belligerents
Mata'afans Supported by: United States	Tamasese German Empire Imperial German Navy
Commanders and leaders
Mata'afa Iosefo Lewis Kimberly	Tupua Tamasese Titimaea (until 1891) Tupua Tamasese Lealofi I (from 1891)

See also: Samoan crisis and Second Samoan Civil War

The First Samoan Civil War refers to the conflict between rival Samoan factions in the Samoan Islands of the South Pacific. The war was fought roughly between 1886 and 1894, primarily between Samoans fighting over whether Malietoa Laupepa or Mata'afa Iosefo would be King of Samoa. However, the German military intervened on several occasions. There was also a naval standoff between America, Germany and Great Britain. After the 1889 Apia cyclone destroyed six of the German and American ships stationed at Samoa, the three countries decided that Malietoa would be the King.

Background

Germany fought in Samoa in defence of Tamasese, their choice for Tafa'ifa, the King of Samoa, after the reigning king Malietoa Laupepa was usurped and exiled. Tamasese and his German allies faced a rival faction, headed by popular Samoan chief Mata'afa Iosefo. Germany was looking to expand its new empire and fill Germany's commercial intersests. America, also looking to protect its commercial interests in Samoa, sent three warships--the USS Vandalia, Trenton, and Nipsic--to monitor the island. Britain also sent a ship to protect its interests, the HMS Calliope.

War and Aftermath

Tensions heightened with the United States after a German shelling of Mata'afa's rebel villages also resulted in destruction of American owned property in 1887. One battle at Vailele in September 1888, following German bombardment of his rebel villages, resulted in Mata'afa's warriors destroying an invading German contingent and plundering their plantations. Throughout the war, the German, American, and British ships were in a naval standoff known as the Samoan crisis. The three western powers finally agreed that Malietoa Laupepa would be restored as King of Samoa in 1889 after a cyclone destroyed both American and German warships at Apia harbour, halting hostilities between the powers. However, the conflict on Samoa went on until 1894, when Malietopa became king again. Nine years later, however, with the death of Malietoa, hostilities broke out again in 1898; but they were quickly ended by the partitioning of the island chain at the Tripartite Convention of 1899.

See also

• 1889 Apia cyclone
• Malietoa Laupepa
• Samoan crisis
• Second Samoan Civil War
• Mata'afa Iosefo
• Siege of Apia
• Battle of Vailele
• Tripartite Convention

References

• Stevenson, Robert Louis. "VII_The Samoan Camps". A Footnote to History: Eight Years of Trouble in Samoa. eBooks@Adelaide, The University of Adelaide Library. p. 49. ISBN 978-0-8248-1857-9. OCLC 227258432. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |laydate=, |laysummary=, and |separator= (help); External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)