Britain also sent troops to protect British business enterprise, harbour rights, and consulate office. This was followed by an eight-year civil war, during which each of the three powers supplied arms, training and in some cases combat troops to the warring Samoan parties. The Samoan crisis came to a critical juncture in March 1889 when all three colonial contenders sent warships into Apia harbour, and a larger-scale war seemed imminent. A massive storm on 15 March 1889 damaged or destroyed the warships, ending the military conflict.
What country sent their military to protect their interests in Samoa? For how many years did the civil war in Samoa last? How many contenders were vying for power in the war? When did the crucial climax of the civil war occur? What natural disaster put an end to the war in Apia harbour?