Hong Kong 1941-45. Ffirst Strike in the Pacific War

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On 8th December 1941, the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong as part of a coordinated attack on Pearl Harbor. Within 18 days, a weak brigade of 14,000 defenders was overwhelmed by two battle-hardened IJA divisions. The intensity of the battle involved not just the British Army, Navy, and Air Force, but also Canadians, Hong Kong's defense force, the Indian Army, and many civilians. Key events included fierce land battles, long artillery duels, and naval actions, particularly at the Gin Drinkers Line and Wong Nai Chung Gap, where a few defenders faced an entire Japanese regiment. Individual acts of valor, such as CSM John Robert Osborne's posthumous VC for sacrificing himself to save fellow soldiers, marked the conflict. The defenders' capitulation on 25 December 1941 ended one battle but sparked local resistance to Japanese occupation. Led by the communist Chinese, guerrillas formed the Guangdong People's Anti-Japanese East River Guerrilla Detachment, growing from 200 to 6,000 by 1945. They harassed the Japanese and aided downed Allied pilots. Escaped POWs joined the British Army Aid Group (BAAG) to continue the fight. As the war neared its end, the question of reestablishing British control became contentious among China, the USA, and Britain. Following President Roosevelt's death in 1945, Britain maneuvered to regain Hong Kong, culminating in Rear Admiral Sir Harcourt's arrival o