Hong Kong World War 2 spotlight and its painful history
Bomb discovery reminds Hong Kong of World War 2
United in Arms, Standing for Peace, 80th Anniversary of Chinese Victory in the War of Resistance
Hong Kong World War 2
We were reminded once more of the role played by the city during World War 2 with the discovery of a bomb at a Quarry Bay construction site.
The Air Raid Precaution Department was established in 1939 in Hong Kong to assist public evacuations
Officers confirmed that a cylindrical, 1.5-metre-long American-made bomb, weighing about 450kg, contained 225kg of fully operational high explosives and posed a significant danger. Emergency personnel quickly evacuated 6,000 residents. It took disposal experts a full day to dismantle and defuse the bomb on site.
Related Cape D’Aguilar amazing hike with beautiful views
There was much drama and news surrounding the bomb disposal operation. And although it may seem unusual, a discovery like this is not.
The defence of Hong Kong, was fought over 18 days with 14,000 soldiers from different nationalities: British, Indian, Canadian and Chinese
In 2014, a 900kg bomb was discovered; in 2017, a 220kg bomb was found. In 2018, two devices were uncovered at different locations, and in 2020, another 450kg bomb was defused. The truth is that the discovery of wartime bombs happens so regularly that Hong Kong maintains a fully staffed Police Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau actively trained to defuse such finds.
Related Voyage Through Time: Looking at Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong
In a TV interview, Senior Bomb Disposal Officer Raymond Suryanto Chin-chiu, from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau of the Hong Kong Police Force, who took part in the recent disposal operation, was asked how common such discoveries are and whether he expected this to happen regularly. He replied, “We might see more.”
Damaged buildings and neighborhoods in Hong Kong
The reason given is that many post-Hong Kong World War 2 high-rise buildings were reconstructed to be relatively low, perhaps five to ten stories. Officer Chin added, “It’s 80 years after the war, and it’s another generation that the buildings built during that era are about to be demolished and will be rebuilt again… the whole thing will be high…, forty-something storeys high, and you will dig deeper. So, more of these things will be surfacing.”
Related Hong Kong Promenade has the most spectacular skyline in the world
These literal bombshells serve as stark periodical reminders of Hong Kong World War 2, when from 1941 to 1945 the city was occupied by Japan. From 1942, Allied forces, especially the US Air Force, carried out numerous bombardments targeting strategic locations in Hong Kong.
Newsreel: Hong Kong under the Shadow of War, 1938 Right: Hong Kong Chiap Hua Manufactory Company produced gas masks, various kinds of bullet-proof helmets, and engineering equipment to support the War of Resistance on the Mainland
Their aim was to disrupt and deliver a crippling blow to the Japanese military. As collateral damage, the city and its inhabitants were also heavily affected. The bombing ceased with the end of the war in 1945.
Related Big Buddha is a colossal gift for people of faith
Officer Chin noted that this year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War 2, a significant milestone. For China and Hong Kong, the war’s end was especially meaningful and celebrated as a victory in their long struggle for resistance.
80th Anniversary of Chinese Victory in the War of Resistance
In a significant and well-curated exhibition at the Hong Kong Museum of History, the history of China’s war of resistance against Japanese aggression takes centre stage.
Related Leisurely hike to Trappist Haven Monastery, Lantau Island
The exhibition titled United in Arms, Standing for Peace, 80th Anniversary of Chinese Victory in the War of Resistance, offers a comprehensive, chronological narrative. It traces the conflict from its origins to its conclusion and subsequently to its epilogue, illustrating history through various facets of a vast and intricate geopolitical spectacle.
Timeline of major events
Beginning with a visual timeline, the exhibition presents significant dates and details. Displays provide nuanced information in the form of posters, documents, photographs and news reels.
Related Hong Kong photos in Edward Stokes’s Exploring the past
Resistance began with the 1931 Mukden Incident, which provided the Empire of Japan with a pretext for invading and occupying Manchuria in Northeastern China.
Life magazine features a Chinese defender on the cover, 1938
The timeline illustrates the resistance and defence mounted by the Chinese Army, along with China’s internal struggles and the costly civil war that hampered a coordinated response to Japan’s incursions.
Related Hedda Morrison, Lee Fook Chee and Brian Brake Epic Hong Kong photos
Faced with a shared enemy and a growing national crisis, as the Chinese people protested and called for a united front in resisting Japan, the Nationalist and Communist Parties halted their civil war to establish the Anti-Japanese National United Front in 1936.
United in Arms, Standing for Peace
Their collaboration, led by Chiang Kai-shek and Mao Zedong, supported by both their Nationalist and Communist parties and armed forces, formed the backbone of the national resistance against Japanese aggression. This was necessary because in 1937, Japan launched a full invasion of China and began what is considered the Second Sino-Japanese War and the start of World War 2 in Asia.
Related Photographic memoir of Hong Kong by Lee Fook Chee
As the Anti-Japanese National United Front fought, Chinese people within China and around the world united to support their efforts, with various groups contributing resources – money or manpower – to resist Japanese aggression.
Mao Zedong during the War of Resistance
International governments and media paid attention to the war unfolding in China and publicised the conflict to influence public opinion and encourage organisations to offer support.
Related Marjorie Doggett Singapore & Lee Fook Chee Hong Kong
Stories in the media depicted the monumental struggle to fight Japanese forces in China and the brave, sacrificial efforts of many. This garnered sympathy from various parts of the world, prompting some to travel to China to join the resistance.
International Friends of China during the War of Resistance
In a poignant display, a gallery of International Friends showcases the individuals who helped. This includes Israel Epstein, a journalist for Time magazine, who actively reported on the Chinese war efforts; Edgar Snow, an American writer who authored Red Star Over China in 1937, introducing the Communist Party; and Chinese hero Norman Bethune, a Canadian doctor who dedicated his life to providing medical services for the Chinese army and who died in 1939 while serving on the battlefield.
Related French Foreign Mission Society built Christian Bethanie for rest
Soong Ching-ling, wife of Sun Yat-sen, played a significant role in garnering support from international governments and overseas Chinese. In 1938, she established the China Defence League in Hong Kong and served as its chairperson.
Key members of the China Defence League at its founding in 1938, including Soong Ching-ling (fourth from the left), the chairperson of the central committee
The League mobilised support and supplies from anti-Japanese and China aid organisations across Europe, the United States, and Southeast Asia. Overseas resources were transported to warehouses in Hong Kong before being shipped to the mainland.
Related Lantau Island’s Secret Garden
The China Defence League often participated in fundraising activities, including the sensational One Bowl of Rice movement, which encouraged public donations to buy medicines and medical equipment to support the War of Resistance in China.
Poster of the One Bowl of Rice movement
Throughout the war, overseas Chinese people displayed a fervent national pride. The United China Relief was founded in the US in 1941 to unify American civilian organisations supporting China’s war effort and to raise awareness of the Chinese people’s suffering and resilience.
Related No one returned to the forgotten Abandoned Villages of Hong Kong
Many overseas Chinese, despite residing abroad, remained deeply connected to their homeland. Besides regular monthly contributions, they also donated to support the war effort through initiatives such as Saving the Nation through Aviation, organised by Chinese Communities in the United States.
During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, Chinese communities in the United States ran aviation schools and training courses to cultivate talent dedicated to Saving the Nation through Aviation
They established aviation schools and training programs to cultivate talent dedicated to developing China’s air force.
Related Grit and fortune of the Qing dynasty military
The development of China’s military capabilities was on the minds of many overseas Chinese. Tens of thousands of Chinese compatriots returned to China to serve and to fight against the enemy on the front lines.
The returnees provided timely support for China’s War of Resistance by directly fighting the enemy, serving in rescue teams, and transporting military supplies and ammunition.
Related Way of the Sword: Warrior Traditions in China and Italy
Many compatriots applied their professional skills in the press corps, which reported on the war, as well as in opera troupes that promoted the cause of national salvation.
The Burma Road
Approximately 200 Chinese American pilots served in the Chinese air force. Over 3,000 overseas Chinese compatriots in Southeast Asia joined the Nanyang Overseas Chinese Mechanic Returning Service Corps to transport strategic supplies along the vital supply route of the Burma Road.
Related Maritime Silk Road Zodiac Heads from the Old Summer Palace fountain clock
The Burma Road was also defended by the American Volunteer Group, known as the Flying Tigers. Founded by U.S. Army Air Captain Claire Lee Chennault in 1941, they protected supplies along the Burma Road and engaged in direct combat.
Left: US Army cotton jacket. Background: A Chinese soldier guards the jets of the, American Volunteer Group, known as the Flying Tigers.
Renowned for their distinctive shark-faced fighters, they shot down enemy planes and sank warships, providing critical air support for the war effort.
Related British Museum Silk Roads movement of people and ideas that changed the world
Overseas Chinese compatriots demonstrated their deep-seated patriotism by raising substantial funds and collecting donations. Remittances from abroad continued to grow during the war. These provided vital capital for the bulk purchase of arms.
Poster for United China Relief
In addition, overseas Chinese compatriots supported the effort by collecting winter clothing, medicines, and supplies and shipping them to China, often via Hong Kong.
Related Hong Kong Maritime miracle from disastrous World War II
Even donations of trucks and aircraft were collected on an unprecedented scale and had a significant impact on the War of Resistance.
The 1937 Marco Polo Bridge Incident led to Japan’s full-scale invasion of China and war between the two countries.
Hong Kong’s role was crucial during the War of Resistance. When full-scale war broke out in 1937, Japanese forces imposed a blockade on China’s coastal regions.
Related Hong Kong Maritime Crossroads: A Millennium of Global Trade
This made Hong Kong an essential gateway for overseas supplies entering China, given its unique political and geographical position.
Newsreel: China War Relief – Material Support from the Overseas Chinese Communities in America
From 1937 to early 1939, overseas supplies were transported to key cities controlled by the Nationalist Government, such as Wuhan and Changsha, via Hong Kong using the Kowloon-Canton Railway and the Canton-Hankow Railway.
Related Chinese Silk from the Qing dynasty stunning embroidery
Following the fall of Guangzhou in 1938, Hong Kong functioned as a crucial transhipment hub for China’s strategic supplies.
Newsreel: Chinese Women’s Association – Material Support from the Overseas Chinese Communities in America
Numerous weapons and ammunition stored in Hong Kong were clandestinely transported to the mainland via motorised sailboats, effectively evading Japanese military surveillance.
Related People and crafts that facilitated transport across Victoria Harbour
Hong Kong was the covert base of the China Defence League, and the Eighth Route Army had an undercover office in Central.
Chinese girls from California raising funds for compatriots in Mainland China
Before Hong Kong’s fall, many organisations and individuals supported the War of Resistance through fundraising, charity sales, charity performances, donation appeals, and supplies.
Related Masterful storytelling and development of Noir & Blanc art photography
The British Hong Kong government permitted communities to establish self-defence corps to safeguard citizens’ lives and property.
Chinese students from California raising funds for compatriots in Mainland China
In 1940, prominent local comprador Ho Kom Tong performed in the Cantonese Opera. Six States Installation of Minister for an anti-Japanese charity.
Related Kom Tong Hall museum honours China hero Dr Sun Yat-sen
Yang Fan, Party Committee Secretary of the National Museum of China, stated, “… Hong Kong played a unique role in this significant period of history. It served as both a transit hub for overseas aid and a bastion for cultural figures during the War of Resistance.”
Hong Kong tycoon Ho Kom Tong performed in Six States Installation of Minister for a charity performance, 1940
Chinese painter Xu Beihong visited Hong Kong three times, in 1931, 1937, and 1938, to utilise his fame and art to raise funds for the War of Resistance.
Related Twentieth-Century Chinese Oil Paintings Across Time and Space
His art exhibitions sold several hundred paintings, and he used all the proceeds to support the war effort.
Watercolour painting gifted to the Chinese Society of the University of Hong Kong by Xu Beihong, 1938
Apart from hosting fundraising efforts by ordinary citizens, Hong Kong demonstrated unwavering patriotism in supporting China’s war efforts.
Related Sam Tung Uk, a 200-year-old Hakka walled village built during the Qing dynasty
They highlighted Hong Kong’s role in backing the national cause and their fellow countrymen, even as they endured three years and eight months of Japanese occupation.
During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, a Chinese, poster titled “Train for a Thousand Days, Use Them in One Day” conveys the spirit of national unity and shared resolve
During the early stages of the Japanese occupation, the Hong Kong Independent Battalion provided resistance and rescue efforts for prominent figures.
Related Hong Historic Bishop Hill Reservoir
They also engaged in combat with the Japanese army, attacking enemy forces within the city.
During the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, a Chinese, poster titled “Military-Civilian Cooperation to Defend South China” shows regular army soldiers and civilian militiamen standing shoulder to shoulder with rifles in hand, united in their determination to resist the enemy. Behind them is a map of South China
It was during the occupation, especially from 1942 to 1945, that bombs devastated Hong Kong. These raids aimed to disrupt Japanese military infrastructure. However, civilians and ordinary buildings also suffered greatly.
Related Tung Chung Fort first defence from fearless pirates of the sea
Newsreels depict the devastation in Hong Kong six months after the Japanese occupation ended.
The exhibition tells the story of what happened during Hong Kong’s darkest days and the heroics of the City during World War 2. The battles, the conquest of the city, and the horrific internment camps for prisoners of war and foreign civilians. Private properties were looted.
Newsreel: 1946, Hong Kong was in ruins after Japanese occupation
Public buildings such as Central Market and the General Post Office were seized as enemy properties. The Peninsula Hotel served as the administration headquarters for the Japanese Military Government.
Related Gin Drinkers Line defensive line, the Maginot of the East
Yet, stories of heroism and triumph also emerged, such as how the Chater collection of invaluable paintings, prints, and photographs, bequeathed to the Hong Kong Government, was saved by being buried in the gardens of Government House, and how a trove of this was secreted away and hidden until after the war.
Related Kowloon Walled City Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In Movie set
On 1 January 1942, China signed the Declaration by the United Nations alongside other countries, forming a united front against the powers of Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Charter of the United Nations
The Chinese anti-Japanese forces were a crucial strategic pillar of the Allies in the Asia-Pacific region.
The battle in China was a crucial base for the Allied forces in their fight against Japan. The Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression was a vital part of the Eastern theatre in World War 2.
Related Lee Miller, a pioneering World War 2 photojournalist
China’s role meant that at the end of the war, it was on the winning side, and this gave it a certainty and expectation that all Chinese territories seized by Japan, including Manchuria, Taiwan, and the Penghu Islands, would be returned.
Hirohito
On 15 August 1945, Japan’s Emperor Hirohito concedes, and Chiang Kai-shek, on behalf of China, claims victory.
Related Tai O is more than stilt houses and beautiful sunsets
15 August 1945, “… we have decided to take extraordinary measures to bring the current state of affairs to an end… to communicate to the governments of the United States, Britain, China and the Soviet Union that the Empire accepts the terms of their Joint Declaration…” Hirohito
Chiang Kai-shek
15 August 1945, “We have won the victory. But it is not yet the final victory. The universal power of righteousness has not simply achieved one more triumph. We and the people of all the world fervently hope that this war may be the last war in which civilised nations engage…” Chiang Kai-shek
San Francisco Chronicle dated 15 August 1945 with the headline “Peace”
On the same day, the front page of the San Francisco Chronicle declares the end of World War 2 with the headline “Peace”.
Related Hong Kong Man Mo Temple for Faith and Fortune
The months that followed the Japanese Army’s official surrender laid the groundwork for a new post-war era.
General Douglas MacArthur
General Douglas MacArthur poignantly noted upon the Japanese surrender to the Allies on 2 September 1945, that “To the Pacific basin has come the vista of a new emancipated world. Today, freedom is on the offensive, democracy is on the march. Today in Asia as well as in Europe, unshackled people are tasting the full sweetness of liberty, the relief from fear…”, emphasising the dawn of a new era of liberty and democracy.
Related Photos of Kowloon Walled City famous City of Darkness
The end of World War 2 marked a profound turning point for China, propelling it toward national pride and renewal, culminating in the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
On 16 September 1945, the Japanese Army surrendered in Hong Kong
For Hong Kong, World War 2, the war’s end signalled the start of a new era of recovery and growth, as returning refugees brought renewed energy and resilience to rebuild the city from ruins into a vibrant metropolis.
Related Lei Yue Mun Quarry is a reminder of a once-thriving local industry
The periodic unearthing of Hong Kong World War 2 bombs in modern times serves as a powerful reminder of the city’s turbulent past and the enduring importance of remembering history to preserve the peace we cherish today.
Text and photos Cammy Yiu
