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THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT ) ·

TO BE KE TINDER LOCK & KEY.

It is requested that special care may be taken to

ensure the secrecy of this document.

257

SECRET.

C.0.S.(40)

843

18th October, 1940.

WAR CABINET.

CHIEFS OF STAFF COMMITTEE.

DEFENCE OF HONG KONG.

Report.

COPY NO.

0.29

Page 297

1.

The Secretary of state for the Colonies has forwarded a note by Sir Geoffry Northcote, the Governor, now on leave in the United Kingdom on the defensibility of Hong Kong; and has asked us to review the whole question of our defence policy at Hong Kong and to submit recommendations for our future policy.

2. The gist of Sir Geoffry Northcote's note is that in order to avoid the slaughter of civilians and destruction of property which would arise in the event of a Japanese attack, the greater part of the garrison of Hong Kong should be withdrawn and Hong Kong declared an open town.. He lays special stress on the lack of A.R.P. and fire fighting arrangements and on the fact that the fall of Hong Kong, if attacked in force, would only be a question of time.

From the military point of view the unsatisfactory natur of our commitment at Hong Kong is fully realised. The question was exhaustively examined in 1937 and in our Far East Appreciation we pointed out that "militarily our position in the Far East woul be stronger without this unsatisfactory commitment. Should it be found possible to negotiate a general settlement in the Far East it would be in our best military interests to arrange to demilitarise Hong Kong."

4.

Since our recent Far East Appreciation and Sir Geoffry Northcote's note were written, the situation in the Far East has changed to the extent that the Japanese have signed a pact with the Axis powers and have established themselves in part of Indo- China. On the other hand, the likelihood of U.S.A. co-operation in a war with Japan has become greater and hence we have been able to adopt a firmer line in our policy vis-a-vis Japan.

5

843

* Annex.

D.P.(P) 5 dated 14th June, 1937. Paper No. C.0.3.(40) 592.

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