}
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maintain public confidence in Hong Kong roquiros that evacuation should
deferred until the last possible momont. By that timo, whothor ovacuation
was necessary because of invasion by the Chinose or because the internal
socurity situation had deteriorated to an intolerable oxtont, conditions in
the built-up areas of Hong Kong and Kowloon, whore most of the potential
ovacucos live, would be chaotic. It is probablo that trams, busos, ferrios
and taxis would be out of servico and that the stroots would bo so crowded
with people that privato cars would havo difficulty in moving; it is also
by no means inconceivablo that Communist mobs, smolling victory and swolled
by recruits to the winning sido, would bo out in pursuit of a number of
tho pooplo who wore to bo ovacuatod. In such circumstancos, any
largo-scale movement of evacuocs would to impossiblo. At this stago, it
soons likely that the police would bo over-strotchod, while British forcos
would be fully committod, on the frontior and assisting the police in tho
stroots. Even if ovacucos could bo collected together, it soons very
doubtful that the security forcos could givo any holp in protocting thom in
transit arcas, ombarkation points and on the way from one to the other.
they would at onco
Any congregation of ovacucos would be vulnerable;
attract a crowd whoso attitudo might woll bo hostile.
Thoso dangors night
bo roduced if ovacuation wore to be offoetod by night, but they would still
bo approciablo.
10.
At such time it is likely that airlines would havo coased to operato
through Hong Kong. It is also possible that bombardmont, sabotago or
ovon human obstruction might put Kai Tak Airport out of commission and
provont its uso. Morchant shipping would avoid Hong Kong and ships in
port would not romain longer than was absolutely necessary.
Plan "DIGIT"
11.
A scheme was proparod in Hong Kong in the early 1950s for tho
cvacuation of 16,500 non-Chinese womon, childron and olderly mon; its
oxistonco is known only to the Governor, the CBF and a small group of
Hong Kong Governmont officers. Apart from the fact that it is now
out-of-dato, it has the dofoct that no preparations whatsoever havo boon
mado on tho ground. It consists of sots of instructions to bo issued to
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