When New Zealand invaded Samoa at the request of the British Imperial government, coming ashore at the capital of Apia on 29 August 1914, the Auckland Observer published a cartoon by William ‘Blo’ Blomfield titled Samoa Yielded without a Struggle. Against a backdrop of palm trees, Blo depicts Germany drunk in a hammock while Samoa has quickly transferred her wanton attention to an indifferent but satisfied New Zealand soldier. Stereotypes and innuendo aside, the German administration in Samoa were advised by Berlin not to resist an invasion by Allied forces.
A victor’s narrative demands a victory however and newspapers of the time carried New Zealand Prime Minister Bill Massey’s self-congratulatory message:
"Samoa is of great strategical importance to both New Zealand and Australia. There is already a very powerful wireless station some distance inland from Apia, probably the most powerful in the Pacific, and we have reason to believe that it is still intact. Though we have secured it much more easily than we expected, we have to hold Samoa, a strong force will be required to garrison the island for some considerable time to come. A further reason for gratification is that not only was the New Zealand force the first contingent of British troops to proceed overseas to its allotted task, but it is also the first to secure German territory for the Imperial Crown." 1