United States occupation, Caroline Islands, 1945

During the Second World War the United States gradually won control over the Caroline islands. When Japan finally surrendered on 15 August 1945, the islands were under American occupation and flew the Stars and Stripes flag. The flag was adopted in the US on 3 December 1775, with its thirteen alternating red and white stripes and 13 white stars on a blue field in the canton, representing the number of states on that day. In 1912 the number of States had grown to 48, represented by the stars on the flag.