The islands were sold by Spain to Germany in 1899 and so remained under the German flag until the start of World War One in 1914 when the Japanese moved against the German administration in the islands and forced out. Defeated Germany was stripped of all overseas possessions at the end of the war in 1919. The Mariana Islands were turned over to the newly created league of nations to be administered as the Japanese Mandated Territory.  Japan had become an ally of the United States, Great Britain and France shortly before the end of the war and was named as the pacific area's administering authority. By 1919 the islands were being administered Japan as a mandate under the League of Nations. The CNMI Guide would like to thank Mr. William H. Stewart for providing all the information used in these pages.