Review of "Desperate Siege: The Battle of Hong Kong," by Ted Ferguson

 Review of

Desperate Siege: The Battle of Hong Kong, by Ted Ferguson

Five out of five stars

So weak, yet they battled hard

 Looking back at the opening battles of World War II in Asia, it is amazing to see how ill-prepared the western outposts in Asia were for the invasions by the Japanese. Some of this was simple arrogance, many in the west, from the leaders down to the front-line troops, simply could not believe that the Japanese would dare challenge the west. They considered the Japanese forces to be low-caliber, effective against Chinese forces, but not against western troops. 

 This arrogance was quickly overthrown when the Japanese launched their attack against British held Hong Kong on December 8, 1941, a few hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Defended by second rate military units and hastily organized Home Guard forces, the British troops did reasonably well initially. Part of this was due to Japanese arrogance, they could not understand why the opposition forces fought so hard. 

 The British leadership knew very well that there was no hope of any form of assistance to their forces in Hong Kong. Yet, they made the motions of doing so in the belief that it was in their best interests for their forces to hold out as long as possible.  The United States government engaged in similar tactics in places such as the Philippines. The prospect of a relief force coming from Chiang Kai Chek was also mentioned several times. 

The battles, both military and political, are described very well. Maps support the textual descriptions of how the Japanese and Allied forces made armed contact and how the Allies were pushed back into the inner city before surrendering.  While the Japanese were generally harsh with their Allied prisoners, there were some acts of kindness demonstrated towards them.

 Two main points that were made are ones not often heard. The first is that the Japanese received significant aid from Chinese collaborators. Acts of espionage, sabotage and even the taking of arms were widespread. The second is how the Canadian government completely let down the units that they sent to Hong Kong. Dispatched with minimal arms and other equipment, the survivors of the POW camps struggled to get what they were due when they returned after the war. 

 A battle that was hopeless due to distance and neglect, the battle for Hong Kong showed the ineptitude and duplicity of Allied leadership. This book is a reminder of how the Allied governments knowingly sacrificed their forces in order to placate their populations. 


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