Sham Shui Po Barracks was a British Army facility built in the 1920s in the Sham Shui Po area of Kowloon , Hong Kong . The base was bounded by Fuk Wa Street to the east by Yen Chow Street and to the west by Tonkin Street and Camp Street .
99-580: The buildings on one side were known as Hankow Barracks, and the other Nanking Barracks. There was a large parade ground. Smaller buildings were later added, and the large Jubilee Buildings were constructed as married quarters. During World War II , the Imperial Japanese Army used it as a POW camp for British , Indian and Canadian soldiers. This was the main POW Camp in Hong Kong, operating from before
198-620: A base of operations to invade neighbouring Malaya. Within hours after the armistice came into effect, squadrons of Japanese aircraft had flown into Songkla airfield from Indochina , allowing them to carry out air raids on strategic bases in Malaya and Singapore from a short distance. On 14 December, Phibun signed a secret agreement with the Japanese committing Thai troops in the Malayan campaign and Burma campaign . An alliance between Thailand and Japan
297-582: A day in the camp, including a bowl of congee given at 8:00 in the morning. Prisoners were confined in jail all day. Some were stripped naked.There were children in the camp as well. Two weeks later, the number of people in the camp reached 400. At 4 pm that day, all of them were forced to board a boat by the port at North Point. After a day, they arrived in Pinghai Town, Huizhou City . The able-bodied refugees were released; about seventy people deemed physically weak were slaughtered and their bodies were dumped into
396-541: A district of Prachinburi Province ) along the nearly finished railway link between Aranyaprathet and Monkhol Bourei. (It opened for traffic on 11 April 1942.) The Japanese 1st Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment (part of the IJA 55th Division) landed at Chumphon on the morning of 8 December from two troop ships. They managed to form a perimeter around their landing areas, but were pinned down by determined resistance by Thai 'Yuwachon Thahan' ('youth soldier' cadets of
495-497: A long-term financier of Po Leung Kuk. There were very few public hospitals during the Japanese occupation, as many of them were forcibly converted to military hospitals. Despite the inadequate supply of resources, Tung Wah Hospital and Kwong Wah Hospital still continuously offered limited social services to needy people. In June 1943, the management of water, gas and electricity was transferred into private Japanese hands. Through schooling, mass media and other means of propaganda,
594-695: A neutral stance on both the European war and the Japanese war with China; and Japan was a superpower with a growing buildup of forces in French Indochina. Phibun may have decided he had little choice, as his own forces would have been unable to defeat the Japanese by themselves. Thailand's invasion of French Indochina in 1940 also made it difficult for the United States government to support Phibun. Midway through 1941, Phibun sought British and American guarantees of effective support if Japan invaded Thailand. Neither
693-416: A possible invasion to retake the colony, the Japanese introduced a policy of enforced deportation. As a result, the unemployed were deported to mainland China , and the population of Hong Kong dwindled from 1.6 million in 1941 to 600,000 in 1945. Furthermore, the Japanese modified the territory's infrastructure and landscape significantly in order to serve their wartime interests. For example, to expand
792-492: A rainstorm, and only ended in the afternoon when the hard-pressed Thais received orders to lay down their arms. The Thais lost 17 or 18 dead, but the number of injured was not known. Due to its closeness to the Malayan border, Pattani was the second most important objective of the Japanese 25th Army. Eight IJN destroyers including the Shirakumo and Shinonome provided support for the five troop transports. The landings by
891-584: A reconnaissance flight over the South China Sea , located three Japanese ships steaming west, and about 15 minutes later, sighted the IJN Southern Expeditionary Fleet convoy, consisting of a battleship, five cruisers, seven destroyers and 22 transports. One of the two merchant seaplane tenders with the convoy, the Kamikawa Maru , launched a Mitsubishi F1M "Pete" floatplane to intercept
990-463: A reserve force which brought the army's numbers up to about 50,000. The Royal Thai Air Force possessed some 270 aircraft, of which 150 were combat aircraft, many of them American. Japan had provided Thailand with 93 more modern aircraft in December 1940. The Royal Thai Navy was poorly trained and equipped, and had lost a substantial number of vessels in its conflict with French Indochina. However,
1089-584: A small boat, but soon after the journey started, a typhoon hit and the ships were left to drift on their own. Fourteen sank, killing about 3,000 people. The bow of another ship was destroyed. Survivors rescued later were unable to walk due to starvation. Many of them died on the beach. On 18 September 1942, the Japanese Occupation Government in Hong Kong held the first population census . According to historical documents, more than 2,000 people were killed or disappeared after being arrested during
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#17328553765231188-527: A small hotel, while some bankers who were viewed as enemies of the Imperial Japanese were executed. In May 1942, Imperial Japanese companies were encouraged to be set up. A Hong Kong trade syndicate consisting of Imperial Japanese firms was set up in October 1942 to manipulate overseas trade. To cope with a lack of resources and the potential for Chinese residents of Hong Kong to support the allied forces in
1287-510: A testimonial, English was forbidden from being taught and was not tolerated outside the classroom. Some private Japanese language schools were established to promote oral Japanese. The Military Administration ran the Teachers' Training Course, and those teachers who failed a Japanese bench-mark test would need to take a three-month training course. The Japanese authorities tried to introduce Japanese traditions and customs to Hong Kong students through
1386-1116: A war criminal, convicted and executed on 30 September 1946. In the aftermath of the Japanese surrender, it was unclear whether the United Kingdom or the Republic of China would assume sovereignty of the territory. The Kuomintang 's Chiang Kai-shek assumed that China, including formerly European-occupied territories such as Hong Kong and Macau, would be re-unified under his rule. Several years earlier, U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt insisted that colonialism would have to end, and promised Soong Mei-ling that Hong Kong would be restored to Chinese control. Japanese invasion of Thailand Ceasefire 1941 1942 Second Sino-Japanese War Taishō period Shōwa period The Japanese invasion of Thailand ( Thai : การบุกครองไทยของญี่ปุ่น , RTGS : Kan Buk Khrong Thai Khong Yipun ; Japanese : 日本軍のタイ進駐 , romanized : Nihongun no Tai shinchū ) occurred on 8 December 1941. It
1485-543: The South China Morning Post . It became the mouthpiece of the Japanese propaganda. Ten local Chinese newspapers had been reduced to five in May. These newspapers were under press censorship. Radio sets were used for Japanese propaganda. Amusements still existed, though only for those who could afford them. The cinemas only screened Japanese films, such as The Battle of Hong Kong , the only film made in Hong Kong during
1584-694: The 2nd China Expeditionary Fleet . Originally formed by Zeng Sheng ( 曾生 ) in Guangdong in 1939, this group mainly comprised peasants, students, and seamen, including Yuan Geng . When the war reached Hong Kong in 1941, the guerrilla force grew from 200 to more than 6,000 soldiers. In January 1942, the Guangdong people's anti-Japanese East River guerrillas ( 廣東人民抗日游擊隊東江縱隊 ) was established to reinforce anti-Japanese forces in Dongjiang and Zhujiang Pearl River deltas. The guerrillas' most significant contribution to
1683-647: The Allies , in particular, was their rescue of twenty American pilots who parachuted into Kowloon when their planes were shot down by the Japanese. In the wake of the British retreat , the guerrillas picked up abandoned weapons and established bases in the New Territories and Kowloon. Applying the tactics of guerrilla warfare, they killed Chinese traitors and collaborators. They protected traders in Kowloon and Guangzhou , attacked
1782-522: The British surrendered the Colony, to the Japanese surrender. By the later date, it was the only POW facility operating in Hong Kong, bar the hospital at the Central British School (now King George V School ). Many POWs died here, especially in the diphtheria epidemic of 1942, and all shipments of POWs to Japan left from Sham Shui Po's Bamboo Pier. In 1959, the military handed a strip of land within
1881-691: The British–Thai Non-Aggression Pact on 12 June 1940. By February, the British were beginning to suspect the Japanese were planning to attack their possessions in Southeast Asia and were concerned Japan might set up bases in Thailand to that end. The situation Phibun faced was that France had now been defeated by Germany, and Britain was heavily engaged in Europe; the United States had until then taken
1980-652: The Franco-Siamese crisis of 1893 . The Japanese, who wanted to use the Indo-Chinese ports and air-bases, acted as negotiators to bring about a settlement between the French and Thais on 31 January 1941. As part of the process, secret discussions were held with Thai Prime Minister Plaek Phibunsongkhram , in which the Japanese military sought free passage through Thailand. Phibun had responded positively, but his later actions showed he may have been very uncertain, as he had concluded
2079-698: The Gloucester Hotel became the Matsubara . The Peninsula Hotel, the Matsumoto; Lane Crawford , Matsuzakaya . The Queen's was renamed first the Nakajima Theatre, then the Meiji Theatre. Their propaganda also pointed to the pre-eminence of the Japanese way of life, of Japanese spiritual values and the ills of western materialism . Government House , the residence of British governors prior to occupation,
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#17328553765232178-522: The Hull note and the McCollum memo .) The Japanese sought to have the sanctions lifted by promising not to encroach on Thailand and withdrawing their forces from Indochina, provided the United States withdrew its support for China. This was unacceptable to both Britain and the United States because of its impact on China. In late November, the British became aware of a probable attack on Thailand by Japan because of
2277-476: The Imperial Japanese Army that invaded the territory. The occupation lasted for three years and eight months until Japan surrendered at the end of the Second World War . The length of the period ( 三年零八個月 , lit. ' three years and eight months ' ) later became a metonym of the occupation. During the Imperial Japanese military's full-scale invasion of China in 1937, Hong Kong as part of
2376-572: The Japanese Military Yen . The exchange rate was fixed at 2 Hong Kong dollars to one military yen in January 1942. Later, the yen was re-valued at 4 Hong Kong dollars to a yen in July 1942, which meant local people could exchange fewer military notes than before. While the residents of Hong Kong were impoverished by the inequitable and forcibly imposed exchange rate, the Imperial Japanese government sold
2475-522: The Kai Tak Airport , the Japanese demolished the Sung Wong Toi Monument in today's Kowloon City . Buildings of prestigious secondary schools such as Wah Yan College Hong Kong , Diocesan Boys' School , Central British School , St. Paul's Girls' College , and La Salle College were commandeered by occupying forces as military hospitals. It was rumoured that Diocesan Boys' School was used by
2574-658: The Kamikawa Maru , piloted by Ensign Ogata Eiichi, spotted a No. 205 Squadron RAF Consolidated PBY Catalina reconnaissance flying boat (W8417), piloted by Warrant Officer William E Webb. Ogata attacked the Catalina from the rear, damaging it and destroying its radio. Ogata shadowed the Catalina for 25 minutes until five Nakajima Ki-27 "Nate" fighters from the JAAF's 1st Sentai in Indo-China arrived and shot it down. Webb and his crew were
2673-723: The New Order in East Asia ( 東亜新秩序 , Tōa Shin Chitsujo ) . In 1940, the concept was expanded by Prime Minister Fumimaro Konoe , who sought to create the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere , including Japan, Manchukuo , China, and parts of Southeast Asia. This would, according to imperial propaganda, establish a new international order seeking "co-prosperity" for Asian countries which would share prosperity and peace, free from Western colonialism and domination under
2772-468: The New Territories and Kowloon , Japanese forces crossed Victoria Harbour on 18 December. After fierce fighting continued on Hong Kong Island on 25 December 1941, British colonial officials headed by the governor of Hong Kong , Mark Aitchison Young , surrendered at the Japanese headquarters. To the local people, the day was known as "Black Christmas". The surrender of Hong Kong was signed on
2871-491: The Surrender of Japan (15 August 1945) and formal surrender of Hong Kong to Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt (16 September 1945), fifteen Japanese soldiers arrested, tortured and executed around three hundred villagers of Silver Mine District of Lantau Island as retaliation after being ambushed by Chinese guerrillas. The incident was later referred as Silver Mine Bay massacre ( 銀礦灣大屠殺 ) by locals. The 38th Infantry Division ,
2970-475: The 13th Artillery battalion) immediately occupied positions alongside the roads leading down to Malaya, but were brushed aside into positions the main Japanese advance could ignore. A further clash occurred at Hat Yai . The Thais lost 15 dead (8 KIA from 41st Inf. Bat. and 7 from the 5th Inf. bat.) and 30–55 wounded. The fighting ceased at noon when orders for an armistice to be arranged was received. While these landings were taking place in Thailand, troops from
3069-535: The 18th Air District Regiment along with an army air force signals unit, the 32nd Anti-Aircraft Battalion, and the 6th Labour Construction Company. Shortly after midnight, they began disembarking their troops at Tha Phae canal (AKA Pak Phoon Canal), north of Camp Vajiravudh. The landing was made adjacent to the main Thai army camp, Camp Vajiravudh. The Thais, notified earlier of the Japanese invasion at Songkhla , immediately went into action. The battle lasted until midday, when
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3168-458: The 26th at The Peninsula Hotel . On 20 February 1942 General Rensuke Isogai became the first Imperial Japanese governor of Hong Kong. This ushered in almost four years of Imperial Japanese administration, which they used the city as a naval and logistics base for their campaign in the western Pacific. Throughout the Imperial Japanese occupation, Hong Kong was ruled under martial law as an occupied territory. Led by General Rensuke Isogai ,
3267-520: The 42nd Infantry Regiment of the IJA 5th Division led by Major Shigeharu Asaeda were made despite the rough seas and on unsuitable landing grounds. The invaders were effectively opposed by the Thai 42nd Infantry Battalion, Pattani Provincial Police, and Thai Yuwachon Thahan units (the 66th Yuwachon Thahan Training Unit from Benjama Rachoothit School), until the battalion was ordered to cease fire at midday. The Thai battalion commander, Khun (ขุน) Inkhayutboriharn,
3366-408: The 4th Guards Infantry Regiment landed at Samut Prakan in the early hours of 8 December. It was tasked with the capture of Bangkok . The force was met by a small Thai police detachment. Despite a tense confrontation, fighting did not occur and the Japanese subsequently agreed not to enter the Thai capital until formal negotiations were concluded. The Japanese bombed Bangkok with one bomb falling on
3465-535: The 52nd Yuwachon Thahan Training Unit from Sriyaphai Secondary School), along with the regular army 38th Infantry Battalion and Provincial Police of Chumphon. Fighting ended in the afternoon when the Thais received orders to cease fire. The Thai had lost Captain Thawin Niyomsen (commanding the 52nd Yuwachon Thahan Unit, posthumously promoted to Lt. Col.), some provincial policemen and a few civilians. Nakhon Si Thammarat
3564-642: The British Empire was not under attack. Nevertheless, its situation was influenced by the war in China due to proximity to the mainland China. In early March 1939, during an Imperial Japanese bombing raid on Shenzhen , a few bombs fell accidentally on Hong Kong territory, destroying a bridge and a train station. In 1936, Germany and the Empire of Japan signed the Anti-Comintern Pact . In 1937, Fascist Italy joined
3663-619: The Chamber of Commerce Building into a command post. The Japanese air force attacked Don Muang Royal Thai Air Force Base , which was defended by the Thai air force. The Thais lost six fighter planes to a numerically superior Japanese force. A Japanese infantry company from the 1st Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment landed from one troopship at the coastal village of Ban Don in the early hours of 8 December. They marched into Surat Thani , where they were opposed by Royal Thai Police and civilian volunteers. The desultory fighting took place amid
3762-563: The Governor's Office and its various bureaus. Two councils of Chinese and Eurasian leaders were set up to manage the Chinese population. All trade and economic activities were strictly regulated by Japanese authorities, who took control of the majority of the factories. Having deprived vendors and banks of their possessions, the occupying forces outlawed the Hong Kong Dollar and replaced it with
3861-583: The Hong Kong Dollar to help finance their war-time economy. In June 1943, the military yen was made the sole legal tender . Prices of commodities for sale had to be marked in yen. Hyper-inflation then disrupted the economy, inflicting hardship upon the residents of the colony. Enormous devaluation of the Imperial Japanese Military Yen after the war made it almost worthless. Public transportation and utilities unavoidably failed, owing to
3960-608: The Hong Kong area from October 1942. Most of these raids involved a small number of aircraft, and typically targeted Japanese cargo ships which had been reported by Chinese guerrillas. By January 1945 the city was being regularly raided by the USAAF. The largest raid on Hong Kong took place on 16 January 1945 when, as part of the South China Sea raid , 471 United States Navy aircraft attacked shipping, harbour facilities and other targets. The Japanese occupation of Hong Kong ended in 1945, after Japan surrendered on 15 August 1945. Hong Kong
4059-558: The Hudson, which eluded it by taking cover in the clouds. A few minutes later, a second Hudson also sighted the convoy. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham was advised of the sightings at 14:00. He was not authorised to take any action against the convoy, as Britain was not at war with Japan, the Japanese intentions were still unclear, and no aggressive action had yet been taken against British or Thai territory. He put his forces in Malaya on full alert and ordered continued surveillance of
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4158-558: The Imperial Japanese influence on Hong Kong, two Imperial Japanese banks, the Yokohama Specie Bank and the Bank of Taiwan , were re-opened. These two banks replaced the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) and two other British banks responsible for issuing the banknotes. They then liquidated various Allied banks. British, American and Dutch bankers were forced to live in
4257-615: The Japan's 25th Army also landed further south at Kota Bharu in Malaya. Once Thailand was secured the 15th Army's 143rd Regiment moved north to replace the Imperial Guards. The Imperial Guards headed south to join the 25th Army and participate in the invasion of Malaya and Singapore. The 15th Army moved to attack Burma. Phibun's decision to sign an armistice with Japan effectively ended Churchill's hopes of forging an alliance with Thailand. Phibun also granted Japan permission to use Thailand as
4356-447: The Japanese as an execution site. Life was difficult for Hong Kong people under Japanese rule. As there was inadequate food supply, the Japanese rationed necessities such as rice, oil, flour, salt, and sugar. Each family was given a rationing licence, and every person could only buy 6.4 taels (240 g (8.5 oz)) of rice per day. Most people did not have enough food to eat, and many died of starvation. The rationing system
4455-862: The Japanese established their administrative centre and military headquarters at the Peninsula Hotel in Kowloon. The military government; comprising administrative, civilian affairs, economic, judicial, and naval departments; enacted stringent regulations and, through executive bureaux, exercised power over all residents of Hong Kong. They also set up the puppet Chinese Representative Council and Chinese Cooperative Council , consisting of local leading Chinese and Eurasian community leaders. In addition to Governor Mark Young, 7,000 British soldiers and civilians were kept in prisoner-of-war or internment camps, such as Sham Shui Po Prisoner Camp and Stanley Internment Camp . Famine, malnourishment and sickness were pervasive. Severe cases of malnutrition among inmates occurred in
4554-530: The Japanese influence over Hong Kong. For instance, there was Yasukuri or Shrine Festival honouring the dead. There was also a Japanese Empire Day on 11 February 1943 centred around the worship of the Emperor Jimmu . The Hong Kong News , a pre-war Japanese-owned English newspaper, was revived in January 1942 during the Japanese occupation. The editor, E.G. Ogura, was Japanese and the staff members were mainly Chinese and Portuguese who previously worked for
4653-578: The Japanese lessons at school. Famous historical stories such as Mōri Motonari 's " Sanbon no ya (Three Arrows)" and Xufu 's ( 徐福 ) voyage to Japan were introduced in Japanese language textbooks. The primary aim of the Japanisation of the education system was to facilitate Japanese control over the territory's populace in furtherence of the establishment of the Greater East Asia Co-prosperity Sphere . By 1943, in stark contrast to
4752-518: The Japanese occupation, a total of 20,000 Hong Kong people and 20,000 mainlanders were abducted to mine in Hainan Island, where they were abused and many died of starvation.Of the 40,000 Chinese workers on Hainan Island, only 5,000 survived. On the afternoon of 1 December 1944, a woman went out to collect firewood sticks on the side of the mountain. Suddenly, a Japanese military police and two Chinese police officers came to arrest her and stabbed her in
4851-548: The Japanese occupation. Directed by Shigeo Tanaka ( 田中重雄 Tanaka Shigeo ) and produced by the Dai Nippon Film Company , the film featured an all-Japanese cast but a few Hong Kong film personalities were also involved. This film appeared on the first anniversary of the attack. In 1941, the Japanese army transported a carload of people to the beach near the Queen Mary Hospital and killed them all. Identities of
4950-408: The Japanese tried to foster favourable view amongst residents of the occupation. This process of Japanisation prevailed in many aspects of daily life. It was the Japanese conviction that education was key to securing their influence over the populace. The Japanese language became a mandatory subject in schools, and students who performed poorly in Japanese exams risked corporal punishment. According to
5049-453: The Police into five divisions, namely East Hong Kong, West Hong Kong, Kowloon, New Territories and Water Police. This force was headed by Colonel Noma Kennosuke . The headquarters was situated in the former Supreme Court Building . Police in Hong Kong were under the organisation and control of the Imperial Japanese government. Imperial Japanese experts and administrators were chiefly employed in
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#17328553765235148-509: The Soviet Union. The United States provided minor support to China in its fight against Imperial Japan's invasion. It imposed an embargo on the sale of oil to Japan after less aggressive forms of economic sanctions failed to halt Japanese advances. On 7 December 1941 (Honolulu time), Japan entered World War II with the Japanese occupation of Malaya , as well as other attacks including attacking
5247-746: The Stanley Internment Camp in 1945. Moreover, the Imperial Japanese military government blockaded Victoria Harbour and controlled various warehouses in and around the city. Early in January 1942, former members of the Hong Kong Police , including Indians and Chinese, were recruited into a reformed police called the Kempeitai with new uniforms . The police routinely performed executions at King's Park in Kowloon by using Chinese for beheading, shooting and bayonet practice. The Imperial Japanese gendarmerie took over all police stations and organised
5346-610: The Thai Navy had two operating submarines, HTMS Matchanu and HTMS Wirun , which were a cause of concern for the Japanese commanders. The Royal Thai Army started to set up the new military units in the Kra Peninsula including: Japan had units of its 15th Army under Lieutenant General Shōjirō Iida and 25th Army under Lieutenant General Tomoyuki Yamashita stationed in Indochina. Both armies had combat aircraft units. The 15th Army
5445-441: The Thai military, as this would delay the invasion and significantly reduce the element of surprise. The Japanese plan was seen by the Nazi government of Germany as helpful in diverting the United Kingdom's military forces, and thus assisting Germany in its own conflict. Thailand had a well-disciplined military, and after a series of border skirmishes in 1940 had invaded neighbouring French Indochina to recover provinces lost in
5544-432: The U.S. naval base at Pearl Harbor and American-ruled Philippines , and the Japanese invasion of Thailand . As part of a general Pacific campaign, the Japanese launched an assault on Hong Kong on the morning of 8 December 1941. British , Canadian , and Indian forces, supported by the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Forces attempted to resist the rapidly advancing Japanese, but were heavily outnumbered. After racing down
5643-476: The US Pacific Fleet in the sea off Zhoushan, Zhejiang. The ship sank on 2 October. Although some prisoners of war swam out of the cabin to escape, the Japanese soldiers on the adjacent ships shot and killed the escaped prisoners, resulting in about 1,000 deaths and 384 injuries. In July 1944, about 400 refugees were found on the Beaufort Island where there were few plants or animals. They were left to fend for themselves. According to residents of Cape D'Aguilar in
5742-472: The United Kingdom nor the United States could give them, although British Prime Minister Winston Churchill was in favour of a public warning to Japan that an invasion of the Southeast Asian kingdom would result in a British declaration of war. However, the United States was unwilling to agree to this, and Britain was not prepared to make it alone. By August, the United Kingdom and the United States had placed sanctions against Japan. (For further information, see
5841-419: The airfield to the south. The Japanese laid siege to the airfield, but the Thai airmen along with Prachuap Khirikhan Provincial Police managed to hold out until noon on the next day, when they too received the ceasefire order. The Japanese lost 115 dead according to Japanese estimates, and 217 dead and 300+ wounded according to Thai estimates. The Thais lost 37 dead and 27 wounded. The Japanese 3rd Battalion of
5940-473: The back.Two other elderly women who were arrested at the same time were also stabbed in the back. They were immediately taken to the Aberdeen Police Station and imprisoned. During the period, they were not provided with food and water. They were taken to the North Point Refugee Camp on 2 December. There were also many prisoners in the camp, and the camp gate was guarded by Japanese military police and Chinese police with weapons. Some said there were only two meals
6039-447: The base to the Hong Kong government so that Lai Chi Kok Road could be extended. In the late 1970s and early 1980s the camp was used to house Vietnamese refugees . The camp was re-developed for housing in the early 1990s. None of the former military structures exists and only plaques commemorating the POW camp remain, together with maple trees commemorating the Canadians held here. These can be found at Sham Shui Po Park , also part of
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#17328553765236138-402: The census. On 25 September 1942, the Japanese army brought 1,816 prisoners of war from the Sham Shui Po prisoner of war camp to the freighter "Lisbon Maru" moored at Stonecutters Island , and set sail two days later to transport the prisoners of war to Japan for hard labor. The Japanese army did not mark the ship as transporting POWs. Lisbon Maru was torpedoed by the submarine USS Grouper of
6237-421: The convoy. On 7 December at 03:00, Vice-Admiral Jisaburō Ozawa ordered patrols in the area between the convoy and Malaya. The convoy was about 100 nautical miles (190 kilometres) from Kota Bharu . There was heavy rain and zero visibility. The Kamikawa Maru and Sagara Maru launched 11 F1M2's and six Aichi E13A 's. About 20 nmi (37 km) west northwest of Panjang Island at 08:20, an E13A1 ZI-26 from
6336-413: The escape. A team of amateur archaeologists found the remains of half of a badge. Evidence pointed to its belonging to Barclay, the captain of the Royal Army Medical Corps , therefore the archaeologists presented it to Barclay's son, Jim, who had never met his father before his death. Other notable massacres near the end of the Battle of Hong Kong including the St. Stephen's College massacre . Between
6435-408: The first casualties of the Pacific War. Unaware of this incident, the British took no action. Ogata would later be killed in the Battle of the Coral Sea . At 23:00 on 7 December, the Japanese presented the Thai government with an ultimatum to allow the Japanese military to enter Thailand. The Thais were given two hours to respond. Thailand had a well-trained military of 26,500 men, together with
6534-444: The former base. 22°19′55″N 114°09′29″E / 22.332°N 114.158°E / 22.332; 114.158 Japanese occupation of Hong Kong The Imperial Japanese occupation of Hong Kong began when the governor of Hong Kong , Sir Mark Young , surrendered the British Crown colony of Hong Kong to the Empire of Japan on 25 December 1941. His surrender occurred after 18 days of fierce fighting against
6633-565: The government debated a response, Phibun could not be located and was unaware of the ultimatum until late morning. At dawn the Imperial Guards Division under Lieutenant-General Takuma Nishimura and IJA 55th Division under Lieutenant-General Hiroshi Takeuchi of the 15th Army crossed the border from Indo-China into Thailand's recently reclaimed Phra Tabong Province at Tambon Savay Donkeo, Athuek Thewadej District (Russei) of Battambang. The Japanese encountered no resistance, and from Sisophon swung north-westwards into Aranyaprathet (then still
6732-469: The guerrillas were noteworthy in rescuing prisoners-of-war, notably Sir Lindsay Ride , Sir Douglas Clague , Professor Gordan King , and David Bosanquet . In December 1943 the Guangdong force reformed, with the East River guerrillas absorbing the HK-Kowloon brigade into the larger unit. The British Army Aid Group was formed in 1942 at the suggestion of Colonel Lindsay Ride. The group rescued allied POWs, including airmen shot down and workers trapped in
6831-529: The high reparation costs forced them to promote fundraising activities like musical performances and dramas. Tung Wah Hospital and the charitable organisation Po Leung Kuk continued to provide charity relief, while substantial donations were given by members of the Chinese elite. Po Leung Kuk also took in orphans, but were faced with financial problems during the occupation, as their bank deposits could not be withdrawn under Japanese control. Their services could only be continued through donations by Aw Boon Haw ,
6930-459: The interrogations were conducted by the Japanese military police only. There were no judges, lawyers, and observers. In March 1942, 484 civilians who had been imprisoned at the Hop Kee Company on Gloucester Road, Wanchai, were deported to Hainan Island via the Japanese cargo ship Yuen Lam for forced labour. After the Liberation of Hong Kong, only a hundred people were able to return. More than 300 people died of torture and starvation. During
7029-481: The invading force considerable difficulty. The port city of Songkhla was one of the main objectives of Yamashita's 25th Army. During the early hours of 8 December, three regiments of the Japanese 5th Division led by Colonel Tsuji under Lieutenant General Matsui Takuro landed there from 10 troop transports. The landing was supported by IJN destroyers Asagiri , Amagiri , Sagiri , and Yūgiri . The Thai garrison at Khao Khor Hong (the 41st Infantry Battalion and
7128-433: The landings in Thailand and at Kota Baru in Malaya. The known IJN ships participating, apart from those sent to Kota Baru, were: In total there were 18 transports involved, which included three landing troops at Kota Baru. Japanese troops invaded Thailand from Indochina and with landings south of Bangkok and at various points along the Kra Peninsula several hours after Thailand had not responded to their ultimatum. While
7227-460: The main post office, which failed to explode. While police rounded up Japanese residents, the Thai cabinet debated its options while they waited for the prime minister to arrive. Some favoured continued resistance, including the establishment of a government-in-exile, but when Phibun finally arrived, the decision was made to relent, and the Thais caved into Japan's demands. The Japanese then moved into Bangkok, occupying Chinatown ( Sampeng ) and turning
7326-503: The mid- to late-1800s. Tanaka interpreted the principle as meaning that imperial rule had been divinely ordained to expand until it united the entire world. While Tanaka saw this outcome as resulting from the Emperor's moral leadership, Japanese nationalists used it in terms of freeing Asia from colonizing powers and establishing Japan as the leading influence in Asia. The concept became expressed in
7425-487: The nearby region, they often heard screams and cries coming from the island. Skeletons were found all over the area later on, most died from starvation or drowning in failed escape. During the Japanese occupation, most people released from the Station died soon after, and it is estimated that more than 100 died due to starvation or torture. The police also transported some prisoners directly for execution without trials. Most of
7524-567: The occasion demands" and "it would be easier for Cantonese people to learn Japanese than Japanese people to learn Cantonese". The Japanese promoted the use of Japanese as the lingua franca between the locals and the occupying forces. English shop signs and advertisements were banned and, in April 1942, streets and buildings in Central were renamed in Japanese. For example, Queen's Road became Meiji -dori and Des Voeux Road became Shōwa -dori. Similarly,
7623-563: The occupied colony. It also developed a role in intelligence gathering. In the process, the Group provided protection to the Dongjiang River which was a source for domestic water in Hong Kong. This was the first organisation in which Britons, Chinese and other nationalities served with no racial divide. Francis Lee Yiu-pui and Paul Tsui Ka-cheung were commissioned as officers. United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) units based in China attacked
7722-597: The other way if Japan invaded the Kra Peninsula , but wanted them to avoid passing through the Bangkok Plain . After further discussions on 3 December, Phibun agreed to passage through Thailand, provided Thailand could regain the territories ceded in the Anglo-Siamese Treaty of 1909 , as well as Burma's Shan State . On 2 December, the Japanese military issued the order "Climb Mount Niitaka ", which set in motion
7821-527: The pact, forming the core of what would become known as the Axis Powers . In the autumn of 1941, Nazi Germany was near the height of its military power. After the invasion of Poland and fall of France , German forces had overrun much of Western Europe and were racing towards Moscow . The United States was neutral and opposition to Nazi Germany was given only by Britain, the British Commonwealth and
7920-833: The police station at Tai Po , and bombed Kai Tak Airport. During the Japanese occupation the only fortified resistance was mounted by the East River guerrillas. In January 1942, the HK-Kowloon Brigade ( 港九大隊 ) was established from the Guangdong People's anti-Japanese guerrilla force. In February 1942, with local residents Choi Kwok-Leung ( 蔡國梁 ) as commander and Chan Tat-Ming ( 陳達明 ) as political commissar, they were armed with 30 machine guns and several hundred rifles left by defeated British forces. They numbered about 400 between 1942 and 1945 and operated in Sai Kung . Additionally,
8019-500: The prime minister's orders for a ceasefire were received. Prachuap Khiri Khan was home to the Royal Thai Air Force's Fifth Wing, under the command of Wing Commander Mom Luang Prawat Chumsai. The Japanese 2nd Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment under Major Kisoyoshi Utsunomiya landed at 03:00 from one troopship, and occupied the town after having crushed police resistance there. Further landings took place near
8118-416: The rapid buildup of Japanese troops in Indochina. On 1 December 1941, Prime Minister Hideki Tojo of Japan stated that he was uncertain where Thailand stood regarding allowing Japanese troops free passage through its territory, but was hopeful a clash could be avoided. Further negotiations took place between the Japanese diplomatic representative, Tamara, and Phibun on 2 December. Phibun was prepared to look
8217-489: The same day he reached an agreement with the Japanese, was advised by the British that Thailand was about to be invaded by the Japanese. There is a possibility of imminent Japanese invasion of your country. If you are attacked, defend yourselves. The preservation of the true independence and sovereignty of Thailand is a British interest, and we shall regard an attack on you as an attack upon ourselves. At noon on 6 December, one of three RAAF No 1 Squadron Lockheed Hudsons on
8316-424: The sea. On 19 December 1941, a group of Japanese soldiers killed ten St. John stretcher bearers at Wong Nai Chung Gap despite the fact that all the stretcher bearers wore the red cross armband . These soldiers captured a further five medics who were tied to a tree , two of whom were taken away by the soldiers, never to be seen again. The remaining three attempted to escape during the night, but only one survived
8415-452: The shortage of fuel and the aerial bombardment of Hong Kong by the Americans. Tens of thousands of people became homeless and helpless, and many of them were employed in shipbuilding and construction. In the agricultural field, the Imperial Japanese took over the race track at Fanling and the air strip at Kam Tin for their rice-growing experiments. With the intention of boosting
8514-510: The successful imposition of the Japanese language upon the local populace, only one formal language school, the Bougok School ( 寳覺學校 ), was providing Cantonese language courses to Japanese people in Hong Kong. According to an instructor at the Bougok School, "teaching Cantonese is difficult because there is no system and set pattern in Cantonese grammar; and you have to change the pronunciation as
8613-572: The umbrella of a benevolent Japan. The 30 man Number 82 Section (also known as the Taiwan Army Research Unit or Doro Nawa Unit) Strike South planning was formed in 1939 or 1940 to bring this about. In its final planning stages, the unit was commanded by Colonel Yoshihide Hayashi . As part of conquering Southeast Asia, the Japanese military planned to invade Malaya and Burma . In order to do this, they needed to make use of Thai ports, railways, and airfields. They did not want conflict with
8712-483: The unit mainly responsible for capturing Hong Kong, departed in January 1942. The Hong Kong Defence Force was established during the same month, and was the main Japanese military unit in Hong Kong throughout the occupation. The other Japanese military units stationed in Hong Kong from early 1942 were the small Hong Kong Artillery Force and the Imperial Japanese Navy 's Hong Kong Base Force, which formed part of
8811-449: The victims are still unknown. On 19 May 1942, 10,000 refugees were detained by the Japanese army and escorted to the Sai Wan , where they boarded the ships. When they boarded the ship, each was given a jar of rice weighing about two kilograms, two pieces of bread, and ten Hong Kong dollars. After boarding the ship, the refugees were locked in the bilge. A total of nineteen ships were towed by
8910-459: The war in the Pacific. The main invasion fleet for Operation "E", the invasion of Malaya and Thailand, sailed from Sanya , Hainan Island, China on 4 December. Further troops and ships joined the fleet from Cam Ranh Bay , Indochina. While the Japanese were preparing, the British and Americans were formulating their response to the Japanese troop buildup and the potential invasion of Thailand. Phibun, on
9009-662: Was abolished in 1944. According to eyewitnesses, the Japanese committed atrocities against many locals, including the rape of many ethnic Chinese women. During the three years and eight months of occupation, an estimated 10,000 civilians were executed, while many others were tortured, raped, or mutilated. Between the Surrender of Japan (15 August 1945) and formal surrender of Hong Kong to Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt (16 September 1945), fifteen Japanese soldiers arrested, tortured, and executed around three hundred villagers of Silver Mine District of Lantau Island in retaliation for being ambushed by Chinese guerrillas. The incident
9108-644: Was briefly fought between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Empire of Japan . Despite fierce fighting in Southern Thailand, the fighting lasted only five hours before ending in a ceasefire. Thailand and Japan then formed an alliance making Thailand part of the Axis alliance until the end of World War II. The origin of Japanese invasion of Thailand can be traced to the principle of hakkō ichiu as espoused by Tanaka Chigaku in
9207-467: Was formally signed on 21 December 1941. On 25 January 1942, the Thai government declared war on the United States and the United Kingdom. In response, all Thai assets in the United States were frozen by the federal government . While the Thai ambassador in London delivered the declaration of war to the British administration, Seni Pramoj , Thai ambassador to Washington, D.C., refused to do so, instead organising
9306-520: Was handed over by the Imperial Japanese Army to the Royal Navy on 30 August 1945; British control over Hong Kong was thus restored. 30 August was declared as " Liberation Day " (Chinese: 重光紀念日 ), and was a public holiday in Hong Kong until 1997. General Takashi Sakai , who led the invasion of Hong Kong and subsequently served as governor-general during the Japanese occupation, was tried as
9405-458: Was killed in action along with 23 other ranks, 5 Provincial Police, 4 Yuwachon Thahan members, and 9 civilians. Major Shigeharu Asaeda, when a member of Taiwan Army Unit 82, had been involved with intelligence-gathering in Burma, Thailand, and Malaya prior to the outbreak of war and had selected Pattani as a suitable landing site. Unknown to him, beyond the sandy beach, was a muddy sea bed which caused
9504-656: Was later referred by locals as the Silver Mine Bay massacre ( 銀礦灣大屠殺 ). During the occupation, hospitals available to the masses were limited. The Kowloon Hospital and Queen Mary Hospital were occupied by the Japanese army. Despite the lack of medicine and funds, the Tung Wah and Kwong Wah Hospital continued their social services but on a limited scale. These included provision of food, medicine, clothing, and burial services. Although funds were provided, they still had great financial difficulties. Failure to collect rents and
9603-560: Was tasked with the attack on Burma and the 25th with Malaya and Singapore. In order to attack Burma, the 15th Army needed to pass over the Bangkok plain, while the 25th Army needed to attack Malaya via the Kra Peninsula. The attack through Thailand on Malaya and Singapore was planned by Colonel Masanobu Tsuji while he was part of Unit 82. The Japanese had about 100,000 troops who needed to pass through Thailand. Ships from IJN 2nd Fleet under Admiral Nobutake Kondō provided support and cover for
9702-504: Was the seat of power for the Japanese military governors. During the occupation, the buildings were largely reconstructed in 1944 following designs by Japanese engineer Siechi Fujimura , including the addition of a Japanese-style tower which remains to this day. Many Georgian architectural features were removed during this period. The roofs also continue to reflect a Japanese influence. The commemoration of Japanese festivals , state occasions, victories and anniversaries also strengthened
9801-471: Was the site of the 6th Army Region headquarters and the 39th Infantry Battalion and 15th Artillery Battalion. Three Japanese troopships, Zenyo , Miike , and Toho Maru , landed troops at Nakhon Si Thammarat, covered by the Shimushu , dropped anchor a few kilometres off the coast during the night of 7 December. The ships carried 1,510 men and 50 trucks of the 3rd Infantry Battalion of the 143rd Infantry Regiment,
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