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During World War I, Japan presented its '21 demands' to China. In 1931,
Japan occupied Manchuria and tried to detach China's northern provinces,
leading to open war in 1937. Canton fell to the Japanese in 1938, resulting
in a mass flight of refugees to Hong Kong. It was estimated that some
100 000 refugees entered in 1937, 500 000 in
1938 and 150 000 in 1939 — bringing Hong Kong's population
at the outbreak of World War II to an estimated 1.6 million. It was thought
that at the height of the influx, about 500 000 people were
sleeping in the streets.
Japan entered World War II on December 7, 1941, when
its aircraft bombed United States warships at Pearl Harbour. At about
the same time, Japanese armed forces attacked Hong Kong (December 8, 1941,
Hong Kong time). They invaded Hong Kong across the border from China and
pushed the British from the New Territories and Kowloon on to Hong Kong
Island. After a week of stubborn resistance on the island, the defenders
— including the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps — were overwhelmed
and Hong Kong surrendered on Christmas Day.
The Japanese occupation lasted for three years and
eight months. Trade virtually disappeared, currency lost its value, food
supplies were disrupted, and government services and public utilities
were seriously impaired. Many residents moved to Macau — the neutral
Portuguese enclave hospitably opening its doors to them. Towards the latter
part of the occupation, the Japanese sought to ease the food problems
by organising mass deportations.
In the face of increasing oppression, the bulk of
the community remained loyal to the allied cause. Chinese guerrillas operated
in the New Territories and escaping allied personnel were assisted by
the rural population. Soon after news of the Japanese surrender was received
on August 14, 1945, a provisional government was set up by the Colonial
Secretary, Mr (later Sir) Frank Gimson, who had spent the occupation imprisoned
in Stanley Gaol. On August 30, Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt arrived
with units of the British Pacific Fleet to establish a temporary military
government. Civil government was formally restored on May 1, 1946, when
Sir Mark Young resumed his interrupted governorship. |
