World War II

Japanese forces occupied the island on 26 August 1942.The Japanese built an airfield on the island which was bombed in March 1943, preventing food supplies from reaching the island. The Japanese deported 1,200 Nauruans to work as labourers in the Chuuk islands, where 463 died. The island was liberated on 13 September 1945 when the Australian warship HMAS Diamantina approached the island and Japanese forces surrendered. Arrangements were made by the BPC to repatriate Nauruans from Chuuk, and they were returned to Nauru by the BPC ship Trienza in January 1946 In 1947, a trusteeship was approved by the United Nations, and Australia, New Zealand and the UK again became trustees of the island.

~ by nauruguide on July 1, 2009.