during the wireless era, island country of nauru saw a variety of colonial rulers. it was annexed by germany in 1888 and incorporated into her marshall islands protectorate. following the outbreak of world war i, the island was captured by australian troops in 1914. the nauru island agreement made in 1919 between the governments of the united kingdom, australia and new zealand provided for the administration of the island and for working of the phosphate deposits by an intergovernmental british phosphate commission (bpc). the terms of the league of nations mandate were drawn up in 1920, but it was not till 1923, the league of nations gave australia a trustee mandate over nauru, with the united kingdom and new zealand as co-trustees. japanese troops occupied nauru in mid-1942. the japanese garrison surrendered to australian troops in september 1945. in 1947, a trusteeship was established by the united nations, with australia, new zealand, and the united kingdom as trustees. nauru became self-governing in january 1966, and following a two-year constitutional convention it became independent in 1968.