Sufficient ground forces would be used to give an
overall numerical superiority of about eight to one.
A seaborne lift of up to 50,000 lightly armed troops
would be possible and an airborne lift of 2,000
troops in the first sortie. The assault would be
strongly supported in the air by jet fighters.
Movements by the Royal Navy would be severely
restricted by the extent of Chinese Air Superiority,
movement would also be restricted by enemy mining of
the shallow waters around the Colony but extensive
mining is unlikely to be concurrent with the
employment of large seaborne assault forces.
(c) CCA Forces are trained in the defensive measures to
be adopted against nuclear weapons. During the
period under review the possibility that nuclear
missiles may become available to them cannot be
disregarded. Furthermore, their use of such
weapons in an attack is a possibility, particularly
if such weapons also become part of the defence of
the Colony. For nuclear weapons to play an
effective part in defence, they would have to be
available locally before the outbreak of hostilities.
(a) A preplanned attack can occur at any time but is most
likely in good weather. The best weathes occurs
between October and December.
(e) While there should be indications that an attack
against the Colony is contemplated, it is most
unlikely that prior warning of its exact timing would
10.
150105/68/02.
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be obtained.
Should a conventional amphibious
operation be decided upon, up to 48 hours warning
may be obtained.
6
This report supercedes LIC (HK)/1 (FINAL) dated 9 May
1956.
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