CO_968_451_DEFENCE_OF_HONG_KONG_1955_1956 — Page 108

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of indiscriminate air attacks against military and civilian

targets combined with small scale naval operations by MTBS,

saboteurs and mining against ships using the port. We do not

think that any major attack would take place by land of which

we would not have a least 48 hours warning.

(b) Prepared attack. In conditions of attack after full

preparation we believe that the air threat be no greater in

scale than that shewn above but that attacks would be better

co-ordinated: the naval threat would be similar but on an

increased scale and would include escorts and amphibious

forces: the land force threat would be increased to a maximum

of two armies, totalling 100,000 men. Positioning of the

extra naval and military forces would give up to 7 days warning

of the impending assault.

NET THREAT

23. In the light of the basic threat summarised in the

preceeding paragraphs we have carried out a study of the

targets which might help to reduce to a minimum, the scale of

the Chinese offensive, by the use of allied nuclear counter action.

24. These targets fall into two general headings, i.e. airfields

and land battle tactical targets. We have assumed a bombing

accuracy of 50 per cent circular error of 600 feet.

Airfields

25. There are a total of 26 airfields within 500 miles of

Hong Kong. In this total there are, at present, only four

airfields within range of Hong Kong suitable for the operation

of jet fighter/bomber type aircraft. Of the remaining 22 only

two are, at present, capable of operating medium jet light

bombers.

26. There is at the moment an extensive programme of airfield

construction and maintenance under way in South Chine and

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