Japan's Occupation of Hong Kong

Paper Summary:

This paper takes a critical look at the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in December of 1941. The paper points out that the occupation lasted till the early autumn of 1945, and the brutality of the experience is still a topic of resentment. It asserts that the occupation of World War II is part of Hong Kong's history and local memory for it harshly affected every family then living there. The paper adds that Japan's unknowable agenda caused some people in Hong Kong to rather welcome the 1997 lapse to the PRC, aware that their territory would be defended by the Red Army should their worst fears come to pass. The paper concludes that the fall of Hong Kong and the Japanese occupation were shattering events that have shaped Hong Kong's culture and consciousness.

Outline:
Introduction
Taking Hong Kong
A Fighting People
The 21st Century
A Changed Identity?
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"One is unsurprised by comments of older people from Hong Kong on a 'Japanese mentality' or condemnation of recent Japanese elections favouring right-wing candidates. Stories still abound of Hong Kong civilians forced to dig hideouts for Japanese boats on Lamma Island, the diggers killed to keep the boats' locations secret. Part of the trouble involves how such horrid events contrasted with a colony of which many Chinese were most proud for Hong Kong had grown from nothing after the 1840s, the work of ordinary immigrants from the Mainland, the British administration working in their favour in years when the Mainland was hopelessly turbulent or just inefficient. In fact, after World War II, people wanted a return to stable government, eschewing decolonization in favour of colonial rule that lasted till 1997. The Japanese occupation had a deep impact, in this sense, as in 1952 proposed liberal reforms were not of interest to the public. Authoritative, stable rule was wanted instead, for the IJA occupation had destroyed Hong Kong's pre-War trading economy based on entrepot shipping and services linking the Chinese treaty ports that were most profitable. Hong Kong was a place of employment, education and hope, different from other European colonies in the region, its atmosphere said to be happier and more harmonious than in British Malaya or Singapore. Its people were often the children or the grandchildren of 19th century migrants, many from Canton, the whole social order differing from that of China, the well to do proud to descend from some ordinary soul to head for Hong Kong to make his fortune, away from the rigid class system of Mainland China, Qing instability and corruption."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Aldrich, Richard J. "Britain's Secret Intelligence Service in Asia during the Second World War." Modern Asian Studies. 32. (1998): 179-217.
• Bradshaw, Keith. "Thousands March in Anti-Japan Protest in Hong Kong." New York Times. April 18, 2005.
• CBC Radio. "On This Day - Japanese Attack Canadian Troops in Hong Kong." December 18, 1972. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Radio archive, Toronto.
• Faure, David and Pui-tak Lee. A Documentary History of Hong Kong. Hong Kong: University of Hong Kong Press, 2004.
• Greenhous, B. C Force to Hong Kong - a Canadian Catastrophe, 1941-1945. (Canadian War Museum Historical Publications No. 30). Toronto and Oxford: Dundurn Press, 1997.

More papers on Japan's Occupation of Hong Kong:

• Descriptive Essay # 132982 : "Japan's Occupation of Hong Kong"
• Comparison Essay # 99570 : "Hong Kong and World War II"

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