Editing Flag of Samoa (section)

== {{anchor|Historical flags}}Historical flags ==
Prior to the [[First World War]], [[German Samoa|Samoa]] was a [[German colonial empire|colony]] of the [[German Empire]]. German colonies used the flag of the [[Imperial Colonial Office]], a black-white-red [[tricolour (flag)|tricolour]] defaced with the [[Reichsadler|Imperial Eagle]]. The Imperial German government intended to introduce specific flags for the colonies (also based on the tricolour) and several proposals were created, but the war and the subsequent loss of all overseas territories prevented their official adoption. [[New Zealand]] occupied [[German Samoa]] in 1914 and officially gained control of the territory in 1919.

From the capture by New Zealand forces on 29 August 1914, a defaced ensign with three palm trees encircled, and emblazoned on the fly were used. 
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File:Flag_of_Samoa_(1858-1873)_as_reported_in_the_Flags_of_Paradise_chart.svg|Flag of the [[Kingdom of Samoa]] as depicted in the Flags of Paradise chart, similar to the [[Ottoman flag]] (1858-1873) 
File:Flag_of_Samoa_(1873-1875).svg|Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1873-1875)
File:Flag_of_Samoa_(1875-1879).svg|Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1879)
File:Flag_of_Samoa_(1879).svg|Flag of the Kingdom of Samoa (1879-1887, 1889-1899). Flag was also used by the [[Mau movement|Mau Movement]]
File:Flag_of_Tuiaana_line_1873-1887_1889-1900.svg|Flag of the Tui A'ana dynasty in the Kingdom of Samoa (1875-1887, 1889–1900).
File:Flag_of_Tupua_Tamasesse_1887-1889.svg|Flag of the Tupua Tamasesse in the Kingdom of Samoa (1887–1889)
File:Reichskolonialflagge.svg|Flag of the German Colonial Office (1899-1914)
File:Flaggenhissung Samoa.jpg|The German colonial flag is raised, 1 March 1900
File:Flag of Deutsch-Samoa.svg|Proposal for German Samoa's flag, never adopted
File:Occupation of German-Samoa 1914.jpg|Hoisting of the [[Union Jack]], 30 August 1914
File:Flag of New Zealand.svg|The flag of New Zealand was used during the control of [[New Zealand Army|NZ-forces]] (1914–1920)
File:Flag of the Samoa Trust Territory.svg|Official flag of [[Western Samoa Trust Territory|Western Samoa]] under [[League of Nations Mandate|Mandate]] with New Zealand (17 December 1920 – 1 January 1962)
File:Flag of Samoa (1948-1949).svg|Initial flag of [[Western Samoa]] acquired but not approved (26 May 1948)
File:Flag_of_Samoa.svg|Flag of Western Samoa, later renamed to Samoa (24 February 1949 – present)
</gallery>