CO537-4998 — Page 80

-2-

months ago. To do this, however, would have meant committing

the whole of our strategic reserve to the Far East when there

were other theatres which might call for reinforcement, and it

was therefore arranged, with my approval, that a brigade group

in the United Kingdom should be held in readiness for service

overseas from April onwards, but should not actually be

We considered that in should is able is just the boom and there

Course of events despatched. sufficiently for ahead to gin in time to before there was any serions danger of the the threats dusloping sunsultaneandy.

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5.

In view of the latest developments, however, the we consider that the time has now come

To merr Chiefs of staff and -I recommend that tuis brigade group should

be sent to the Far East-now. I attach a note at Annex, which

has been prepared in the War Office, showing the full

implications of a decision to do so. I should perhaps point

out that the Commanders-in-Chief, Far East, have not yet asked

for the reinforcement to be despatched but as it will take some

A.

two months to effect the reinforcement of Hong Kong without

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seriously affecting operations in Malays, and as events in

China are moving rapidly, I do not think we should be justified

in delaying this decision any longer.

6.

I must also point out that the recommendation to

reinforce Hồng Kong against the threats in paragraph 2 above

should in no way be taken to alter the view accepted by the

C Defence Committee in 1946' that Hong Kong should not be defended

in war against a major power in occupation of the Chinese

Kainland.

I think my colleagues will agree that, while there

may be different views about the effectiveness of Communi am

al

ресть in welding the Chinese into a powerful nation, we have no need

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to anticipate a full scale attack by the People's Army against

that

Hong Kong and we have nothing to lose by planning to hold Hong

Kong against anything less than a full scale attack and by

demonstrating our intention to hold on there.

D.O.(46) 7th Meeting D.0.(46) 30

13031/4/46

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