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It is of paramount importance to distinguish carefully between the various stages of treatment received by British civilian internees since the surrender During the fighting the use by the Military of civilian property gave the Japanese strong cause for anger. Following the surrender it must be acknowledged that insofar as the city was concerned, most admirable restraint was shown by the Japanese Military command. Our own troops had in many cases discarded their arms which were subsequently collected by hooligans There was nothing to stop the Japanese troops pouring into the city. It was not until the following morning that they commenced to filter into the city in good order. Following the surrender the general fear was that there would be a repetition of the Nanking affair. I give the highest praise for the orderly manner in which the Japanese set about the occupation of the city.
I will break in here and give some extracts from my notes regarding the actual conditions immediately after the capitulation of Hongkong.
There was no running water, no light, no gas for cooking. The Japanese entry into Hongkong controlled and orderly. Small incidents of people being stopped and watches and jewellery - watches particularly being removed from them. Food of course short the Gloucester Hotel cutting down to two meals per day one at about 10 a.m. and the other around 7 p.m. Constriction of movement of all foreigners. Civilians being required to remain in doors and not being allowed out on the streets. Japanese mechanics busy starting up all cars and putting them into running order for their own use. All telephone lines cut and no means of communication with other parts of the town. It was just possible but not advisable to move about the town and always with the risk of either unpleasantness from Japanese sentries or being stranded in one spot being caught between two sentry posts. Boy still able to buy small amounts of food. No transportation for foreigners of any kind. No shops open few hawkers selling presumably loated goods.
To contine with Thompson's remarks:
"The subsequent herding of foreigners in droves through the city to the Chinese Hotels was an act calculated to make them lose the greatest face with the Chinese. It failed because the British and Americans could appreciate the humourous side. While the Japanese must be held primiarily .responsible for the treatment meted out at the Chinese Hotels and for the first two
months
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