TOP SECRET
A. CIVIL DEFENCE.
No exhaustive comments at this stage but the following points particularly call for attention:
B.
C.
(1) It is essential that the general public should be more fully informed than was the case in 1941 as to the general nature of civil defence plans.
(2) Bank notes should be destroyed in the event of apitulation.
(3) Photostatic copies should be made of all records of value and theso should be sent away to a place of safety before the territory is occupied.
CIVILIAN MORALE.
1 & 2. No special attempt as such should be made in peace time to influence the local nationalism of the local population. It should be borne in mind that Hong Kong is particularly subject to the difficulties and inconveniences imposed by dual nationality. Much the best preparation in peace to bolster the spiritual strength of the civilian population for war is enlightened civil govoramolit. This is the only real preparation for the stress of war and any special measures will be writton off as more propaganda; still, as a device to whip up the population for Imperial usc in a general war,
OF,
worso
3. There should be no sponsored evacuation overseas. Every civilian man, woman and child, Asiatic and European alike, should be permitted to remain where they are. Any other policy leads straight to non- cooperation on the part of the local population.
110 "Non domiciled women" should remin in the Colony to carry out their duties.
5. Owing to the small size of Hong Kong there ca be no withdrawal in the sense that there can be, for example, dom the Maloyan Peninsula. Withdrawal, so far as it would arise in Hong Kong, would be from one post to another. And whether to withdraw or not can only be decided at the time. The individual officer should seek instruo- tions from his head of department. If he cannot find him he must use his discretion as to whether to withdraw or not.
In the event of the capitulation of the Colony, but before all the civil officers have been rounded up and interned, heads of depart- ments and officers in key posts should remain, as they might be able to help the civil population. In addition, the fact that they were prepared to remain and help the people for as long as they could, would have a beneficial effect After re-ocuretion. After they have been interned these arguments would not apply. Other officers should endeavour to get say,
6.
}
933
7
Do not arise.
SCORCHED EARTH POLICY.
A scorched earth policy in Hong Kong, however efficacious, is probably only of limited importance. The daniel measures otried out imodic toly before the capitulation in 1941 are now considered on the whole to have inflicted greater hardship upon the civil population of the Colony than upon the enemy. Apart from strictly military installations, dookyards and ships (but not ferry boats), no soorohed carth policy should be unjoined an this Colony.