This led to an agreement with Germany in 1906. Which allowed the Pacific Phosphate Company to mine phosphate here. And then began the World War 1. Germany lost the war. And according to the mandate of the League of Nations. The country of Nauru went into the joint trusteeship of the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. Subsequently, the Nauru Island Agreement was signed And the phosphate reserves on this island went to the British. To the British Phosphate Commissioners.
In simple words, the British ravaged Nauru. Their phosphate reserves were sold to the farmers in Australia and New Zealand at dirt-cheap prices. And what were the people of Nauru given in return? They were given half a penny per tonne of phosphate. A few years later, the amount was increased to 2 pence per tonne of phosphate. But the British Phosphate Commissioners were selling it at 200 times the price in Australia, £4.52 per tonne.
The British company stole most of the money. Similar to what the East India Company did to the rest of the countries. But in 1942, Nauru was captured by the Japanese Empire. And now, the people living here had to face atrocities. Forced labour camps, mass drownings, killings. But in World War II, The Axis Powers Germany, Italy, and Japan lost the war. And the country was back under the administration of the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
