A 1947 snapshot 05

History of Hong Kong in World War II

  • Hong Kong is in danger ???

    The Prime Minister in Britain at that time, Winston Churchill, decides that Hong Kong is in danger and sends reinforcements.
  • The first troops arrive from Canada..

    The first troops arrive from Canada..
    Canadian troops arrive on the HMCS Prince Robert.
  • The Japanese's first attack....

    The Japanese's first attack....
    36 Japanese fighters attack Kai Tak airfield and units of the Japanese23rd cross the Sham Chun Shan river.
  • New Territories..

    New Territories..
    Evacuation of New Territories...
  • Kowloon

    Kowloon
    Evacuation of Kowloon...
  • Japanese demand surrender...

    Japanese demand surrender...
    Japanese demand surrender (surrender is ignored)...
  • Japanese begin a heavy bombing and artillery barrage

    Japanese begin a heavy bombing and artillery barrage
    Japanese begin a heavy bombing and artillery barrage of the northern coast of HK Island... (North Point, Quarry Bay etc..)
  • Japanese main attack on Hong Kong..

    Japanese main attack on Hong Kong..
    Japanese main attack on Hong Kong Island starts...
  • Retaking Mount Butler

    Retaking Mount Butler
    Grenadiers retook Mount Butler with heavy casualties...
  • HK Comanding officer Lawson killed..

    HK Comanding officer Lawson killed..
    Sadly, HK's Comanding officer Lawson is killed, as Fortress Hong Kong is captured...
  • Royal rifles Retreat to Stanley..

    Royal rifles Retreat to Stanley..
    Royal Rifles (Sharpshooters) retreat to Stanley..
  • Black Christmas

    Black Christmas
    Christmas was supposed to be a jolly day, however, it was not a joly day for Hong Kong...
    -Japanese attacked the Royal Rifles and captured Stanley Fort...
    -Japanese attacked st. Stephens hospital, leaving many dead, as there were many sick and people injured because of the war...
    - Hong Kong is forced to surrender...
  • First Month of 1942

    First Month of 1942
    It meant a lot of bad things (not a lot...)
    - Over the month 10,000 women are raped...
    - Hong Kong Dollar was outlawed and replaced by the Japanese Military Yen. Theexchange rate was fixed at 2 Hong Kong dollars to one military yen.
    - Internment of most 'white' Allied civilians....
    - police recruited to be Kempeitai... (Japanese agents)
  • A Resistance...

    A Resistance...
    The HK-Kowloon brigade (港九大隊) was established from the GuangdongPeople's anti-Japanese rebillion force led by Cai Guo-liang (蔡國梁)
  • April 1942...

    April 1942...
    -food rationing begins..
    -streets and buildings in Central were renamed in Japanese.
  • The British Army Aid Group

    The British Army Aid Group
    The British Army Aid Group was formed by Colonel Lindsay Ride.
  • Electrcity and Water supply....

    Electrcity and Water supply....
    Public utilities handed over to Japanese control....
  • The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima..

    The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima..
    The US dropped an atomic bomb called the “Enola Gay” on Hiroshima, killing over 70,000 instantaneously.....
  • Nagasaki Bombing

    Nagasaki Bombing
    The US bombing Japan, again, this time in Nagasaki...
  • Japan Surrenders..

    Japan Surrenders..
    Japan Surrenders in August 15, 1945...
  • Hong Kong was handed over by Imperial Japanese Army to the Royal Navy

    Hong Kong was handed over by Imperial Japanese Army to the Royal Navy
    The "30 August" was declared as the "Liberation Day" (Chinese: 重紀念日), and had been apublic holiday in Hong Kong until 1967.
  • Happy September...

    Happy September...
    1/9/- Franklin Gimson, Hong Kong's colonial secretary, declares himself interim governor.
    6/9- British Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Halliday Jepson Harcourts formally accepts the Japanese surrender. Mark Young resumes as Governor.
    30/9- General Takashi Sakai, is tried as a war criminal and executed in the after noon..