An untenable ideology of a lost time..

Hong Kong Island

Off the coast of Guangdong in China where the Pearl River flows into the China sea is the mountainous island of Hong Kong. Since 1841, when it was ceded to Britain, and because of its strategic location, the island was one of the Britain's crown possessions. With deep natural harbor, the island formed the principal shipping centers in the far eastern waters. Being a major sea port, the island attracted people from far and wide. Later new territories and the area called Kowloon were added to the existing principality of Hong Kong. When the British settled in Hong Kong in the early 19th century, they called it the Gateway to China. Now almost a century later, it exists as an international hub for finance and commerce. True to its spirit, the city boasts as the Asia's world city.

On December the 11th 2010, I was in Hong Kong. After a 12 hours journey, with glimpses of 2 other Asian capitals, I reached HKIA at 6pm in the evening. The following account is a recollection of thoughts and facts that accompanied me on the 16th day of December, while I traveled to Lamma Island, some 5 kms south of the Hong Kong Island.

Sixty-nine years ago, on 8th day of December 1941, less than eight hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army, launched a massive attack on the British territory of Hong Kong. The combined strength of the British, Canadian and Indian forces was no match to raging Japanese forces. Within hours the imperial army captures large swathes of the new territories in the north. Amidst the confusion at the British side, before they could put into effect any of their defence plans, they faced another fatal blow. A barrage of Japanese bomber planes devastated the Royal Air force Aircrafts stationed at the Kai Tak Airport. In following 2 days, the Japanese, had Kowloon under their control and the main island laid just 400 meters across the sea.

Fear and reprehension swarmed the government offices at the island city. Many committed suicide while some tried to fly away. For those who remained it was just the beginning of the years of extreme consequences.

Back in Europe, matters were worse, Germany seemed unstoppable. While the whole of Europe laid under the German occupation, Britain was preparing for a war that would stretch it to its limits. Ten Downing Street was busy devising strategy to defend itself from the impending war and ignored the frantic calls from the east, the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Aitchison Young.

By the afternoon of 25 December 1941, in Hong Kong it was clear that further resistance would be futile and after series of meetings with the British colonial officials the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Mark Aitchison Young, surrendered in person at the Japanese headquarters on the third floor of the Peninsula Hong Kong hotel. This was the first occasion on which a British Crown Colony has surrendered to an invading force.



Peninsula Hong Kong hotel

The following years saw Japan turning into a formidable and belligerent nation. The island nation saw troops all around its territories. Nearby islands turned into army dens with trenches and firing locations all along its magnificent cliffs. Beaches turned into naval bases and cliffs were cut in to make way for water caves. Lo So Shing was one such beach with "Kamikaze Caves" along the cliffs nearby which housed hidden speedboats which were used to make a suicidal attack in needed.

Those were terrible times and had terrible consequences. The crimes inflicted by man on man were horrid and unimaginable and the pain was unbearable. Four years later the war came to an end. Unfortunately, the end was even more macabre than the beginning.

Years later I was standing on the Lo Shing beach in the south of Lamma Island, looking at the relentless South China Sea and imaging life during those tragic years.