Hong+Kong

 Lauren- The fall of Hong Kong

=
//“If Japan goes to war there is not the slightest chance of holding Hong Kong or relieving it. It is most unwise to increase the loss we shall suffer there. Instead of increasing the garrison it ought to be reduced. Japan will think twice before declaring war on the British Empire, and whether there are two or six battalions at Hong Kong will make no difference. I wish we had fewer troops there, but to move any would be noticeable and dangerous.” // – Churchill on 7th January, 1941. ======

The British colony in Hong Kong had been a major trading base and access point for Europeans to Asia since its acquisition by the British form the Chinese in the 19th C. Because of its economic importance it had also developed into a significant military outpost. The Japanese could not ignore Hong Kong and would not be able to dominate the region until it was at least neutralized. As part of the initial wave of attacks following Pearl Harbor Japanese troops landed on Hong Kong Island on 8 December 1941. They pushed inland and the British with no hope of reinforcements, no clear strategy and poor morale, surrender en masse just over two weeks later on Christmas Day 1941. Over 12000 British troops became Japanese prisoners of war

 ·   Not many people were concerned with the importance of Hong Kong as Japan.  ·   The Admiralty (the department in charge of the navy) wanted to at least deny its facilities to Japan and the Chiefs of staff recommended that since Hong Kong couldn’t be salvaged it should be considered an outpost and was to be held as long as possible.  ·   Churchill was forced to increase the garrison (millitary post where troops are stationed). He increased from four to six battalions with the arrival of the Canadians.  ·  **Major-General Christopher M. Maltby ** was the commander of the garrison. He was a 50 year old Indian Army Officer who was aware of the magnitude of his task and the inadequacy of his resources. In the three months of his tenure he set about revitalizing the colony’s preparedness as best he could, it was a question of too little, too late. Maltby’s task was to hold Hong Kong for as long as possible so as to deny the harbor to the Japanese.  ·  Advance through Hong Kong had begun at 8:00am on December the 8th, when 36 Japanese fighters swooped out of a clear blue sky and struck Kai Tak airfield and seaplane moorings.   ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Five outdated RAF and a number of civilian aircraft were left burning and the airfield as badly damaged. At the same time, 12 more aircraft bombed Island Brigade HQ and strafed troops on the mainland but with little effect. <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">Within thirty minutes all road and rail bridges across the frontier were down. <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The Japanese paid a terrible price for their overconfidence when caught in the murderous fire that followed. <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">In the end however, the Japanese maintained control. For six days more, fierce and continuous fighting of a similar nature was pursued throughout the centre and eastern part of the island. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">The end came almost suddenly late on Christmas Day. Having rejected yet another surrender ultimatum in the morning, the situation deteriorated rapidly when the fighting was renewed. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·  <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">General Maltby decided that further resistance would entail the useless slaughter of his remaining troops without affecting the inevitable outcome. <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> <span style="FONT-FAMILY: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> ·   <span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Following Maltby’s decision the formal surrender took place at 1800 and the 6500 survivors were lead off into captivity, during which thousands were to die. Their resistance had not been entirely in vain, for seventeen days they had deflected the Japanese troops, aircraft and shipping from more important objectives.

<span style="COLOR: black; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> //“Everyday that you are able to maintain your resistance, you help the Allied cause all over the world.” –//(End of Winston Churchill’s message on 21st December)   <span style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA">

By Suzi [: