THE BATTLE OF HONG KONG:
A NOTE ON THE LITERATURE
AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEFENCE
LAWRENCE LAI WAI-CHUNG
115
Abstract
From the stance of a person growing up in Hong Kong, this short note re-assesses the Battle of Hong Kong of December 1941 as recorded in the English and Chinese literature largely found in the University of Hong Kong Library. It examines the views of political leaders, war historians, veterans, and civilians of different persuasions and makes some informed speculation about their focus. It argues that a common omission is the relative fighting power of the defender of Hong Kong. The essay argues that the performance of the Hong Kong garrison was much better than the defenders of Crete or Singapore. It makes a few speculative suggestions as to the effectiveness of the defence and concludes by making a case for further research into the Battle from historical and military science points of view.
Introduction
"Memories of the war in Hong Kong, of the sharp and bitter struggle which ended with the capture of the Colony on Christmas Day, are kept on a more realistic plane than most other places....It was by tacit agreement decided that the war in Hong Kong had best be forgotten.” This statement in a publication of Ricci Hall of the University of Hong Kong (Ricci Hall 1954) reflected the peculiar political context of Hong Kong as a Crown Colony in China. The Union Jack as a symbol of British reign in Hong Kong has gone, and the ruins of the Second World War, associated with Hong Kong's immediate colonial past, lie wasting. The military cemeteries in Stanley and Sai Wan, however, have been as well maintained as before. The respect for those who sacrificed their lives for a just cause has not been altered by a change in governance.
Authors from the belligerent countries have intensively studied military operations in Europe and North Africa in the Second World War since the end of hostilities. The intensity of the studies is
THE BATTLE OF HONG KONG:
A NOTE ON THE LITERATURE
AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEFENCE
LAWRENCE LAI WAI-CHUNG
115
Abstract
From the stance of a person growing up in Hong Kong, this short note re-assesses the Battle of Hong Kong of December 1941 as re- corded in the English and Chinese literature largely found in the Uni- versity of Hong Kong Library. It examines the views of political leaders, war historians, veterans and civilians of different persuasions and makes some informed speculation about their focus. It argues that a common omission is the relative fighting power of the defender of Hong Kong. The essay argues that the performance of the Hong Kong garrison was much better than the defenders of Crete or Singapore. It makes a few speculative suggestions as to the effectiveness of the defence and con- cludes by making a case for further research into the Battle from his- torical and military science points of view.
Introduction
"Memories of the war in Hong Kong, of the sharp and bitter struggle which ended with the capture of the Colony on Christmas Day, are kept on a more realistic plane than most other places....It was by tacit agreement decided that the war in Hong Kong had best be forgotten.” This statement in a publication of Ricci Hall of the University of Hong Kong (Ricci Hall 1954) reflected the peculiar political context of Hong Kong as a Crown Colony in China. The Union Jack as a symbol of British reign in Hong Kong has gone, and the ruins of the Second World War, associated with Hong Kong's immediate colonial past, lie wasting. The military cemeteries in Stanley and Sai Wan, however, have been as well maintained as before'. The respect for those who sacrificed their lives for a just clause has not been altered by a change in governance.
Authors from the belligerent countries have intensively studied military operations in Europe and North Africa in the Second World War II since the end of hostilities. The intensity of the studies is
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