Hong Kong

City

Hong Kong is one of two special administrative regions (SARs) of the People's Republic of China (PRC), the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour. With a land mass of 1,104 km (426 sq mi) ...

Read more at Wikipedia

Documents about Hong Kong

Monday 29th January 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Snowfall hampering air ops. Cabinet argues export deal with Italy extensively. Note of regret to Japan over ship seizure
person Anthony Eden
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Kingsley Wood
person Woodrow Wilson
place Greece
place Finland
place Hong Kong
place Morocco
organisation New Zealand Treasury
 

Thursday 14th March 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Approach to be made to Japanese government to limit trade with Germany and Russia. Military aid to Finland halted
place Great Britain
place Finland
place Russian Empire
place East Germany
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Tokyo
place Iran
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Department of State
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
 

Meeting minutes

extract “Berlin better blacked out than London” says US envoy. Ambassador to Vatican reports Hitler and Mussolini to meet shortly
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Sumner Welles
person Samuel Hoare
person Adolf Hitler
person Joachim von Ribbentrop
place Finland
place Vatican City
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Turkey
place Berlin
place Rome
organisation Luftwaffe
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Meeting minutes

extract Churchill reports on defences after Scarpa attack. Warns of general feeling “Germans used bombs…we only dropped leaflets”
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Walter Hines Page
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Finland
place Gisborne, New Zealand
place Hong Kong
place Turkey
place Gibraltar
place South America
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Scapa
organisation Home Fleet
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet told leaflet drops now secondary to air reconnaissance. Danish Attaché: “Extensive damage” done by Sylt attack
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person Neville Chamberlain
place Hong Kong
place Paris
place Gibraltar
place Denmark
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation French Army
 

Friday 5th April 1940

Weekly Resume (No. 31) of the Naval, Military and Air Situation from 12 noon March 28th to 12 noon April 4th, 1940.

extract Chiefs of Staff report lull in U-Boat activity but increase in German reconnaissance aircraft activity off Norway coast
place Somaliland
place Hong Kong
place Narvik
place North China
place Denmark
place Rome
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation United States Navy
 

Saturday 22nd June 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Report from Bordeaux that German armistice conditions have been received. Not possible to telegraph lengthy full text
extract King Farouk refusing to replace Egyptian PM. Situation dangerous. Farouk to be warned Cabinet would "welcome" his removal
extract Halifax: Concentration of Soviet forces in Baltic States "defensive". Sir Stafford Cripps to meet Marshall Stalin shortly
extract PM urges demand to France for information on Germany talks. Inconsistent with French honour to pass equipment to enemy
extract Halifax presents series of contradictory telegrams from France. Fears expressed that government may not now move overseas
person Walter Hines Page
person Ronnie Campbell
person Stafford Cripps
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
person Farouk of Egypt
place Great Britain
place Portugal
place East Germany
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Cairo
place Calais
place Lisbon, New York
organisation Home Office
 

Immediate measures required in the Far East.

extract Chiefs of Staff produce plan on strengthening Far East defences but admit "we cannot spare a fleet for the Far East"
person Robert German
person John Dill
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Africa
place Republic of China
place Iran
organisation Hopatcong High School
 

Meeting minutes

extract Cabinet approves evacuation of women and children from Hong Kong. War Secretary to look at UK recruitment in Far East
extract General Dill: Military operations in the Middle East confirm "reluctance of the Italians to fight"
person Walter Hines Page
person John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
person Francisco Franco
person Adolf Hitler
place Great Britain
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Portsmouth
organisation Home Office
organisation RAF Coastal Command
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Royal Navy
organisation French Navy
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Policy in the Far East.

extract Halifax outlines UK Far East policy, recommends rejection of Japanese demands to close Burma road to China
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Burma
 

Meeting minutes

extract Lord Halifax reports Romania likely to accede to Russian demand to occupy territories of Bessarabia and Bukovina
person Walter Hines Page
person E. F. L. Wood, 1st Earl of Halifax
person Miles Lampson, 1st Baron Killearn
place Great Britain
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Shanghai
place Syria
 

Monday 1st July 1940

Meeting minutes

extract War Cabinet approves despatch of troops from India to Iraq. Colonial Secretary: Early introduction of force "essential"
extract PM: Growth in scheme to evacuate children abroad "defeatist", must be "sternly discouraged". Entry to scheme to be closed
extract General Dill: De Gaulle has been addressing French troops in UK. 1,900 volunteers have been assembled at White City
extract Admiralty reports ten Italian submarines have been sunk in three weeks since Italy joined war
person Anthony Eden
person Alexander Cadogan
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Charles de Gaulle
person Clive Anderson
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
person Leo Amery
place Great Britain
place Halifax Peninsula
place Madagascar
place Iraq
place Hong Kong
place British Cameroons
place North America
place Nigeria
place Syria
place Burma
place Greenwood, Nova Scotia
organisation Home Office
organisation House of Commons of the United Kingdom
organisation French Foreign Legion
 

Policy in the Far East.

extract Foreign Office conclude Japan "unlikely to resort to total war". Japan "cautious", uncertain of US intervention in region
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Hong Kong
place Europe
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation United States Department of State
 

Monday 5th August 1940

The Far East. Appreciation by the Chiefs of Staff.

extract Chiefs of Staff report on likely events in Far East. Expect Japan first strike in Indo-China or Thailand then Singapore
place Russian Empire
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Europe
place North China
place Thailand
place Republic of China
place Burma
 

Meeting minutes

extract King George VI: My peoples "would rather all perish in the common ruin than fall or falter in their duty"
extract Halifax circulates draft rejection by King George of offer of mediation between UK and Germany by King Gustav of Sweden
extract PM Churchill: "We could never stand by and see a British Dominion overwhelmed by a yellow race"
extract PM: Invasion of Australia "could be retrieved" by USA. "In the last resort" UK would "abandon" Mediterranean and Mid-East
extract PM: We hope "to avoid war" but it could occur "at any moment". "Opening moves" likely to be against Hong Kong, Singapore
extract Churchill outlines policy in the event of Japanese aggression: UK Fleet needed in Mediterranean "to beat the Italians"
person William Lyon Mackenzie King
person Adolf Hitler
person Winston Churchill
person Neville Chamberlain
place Great Britain
place Egypt
place Fiji
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Europe
place Gibraltar
place Alexandria
place Africa
place Republic of China
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
 

Friday 18th October 1940

Meeting minutes

extract Admiralty: UK cannot currently assemble strong fleet at Straits of Gibraltar. Again urge "tolerable agreement" with Vichy
extract Halifax opposes bombing Vichy if France attacks Gibraltar. Ambassador authorised to deliver this "threat" to deter attack
extract "Serious damage" to Treasury overnight in London bombing. "Minor scale of attack on Birmingham and Liverpool"
extract Air Chief: All overnight UK bomber missions cancelled due to adverse weather. Equipment for landings in fog being fitted
person Alexander Cadogan
person Hastings Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay
person Edward Bridges, 1st Baron Bridges
person John Anderson, 1st Viscount Waverley
person Walter Hines Page
person Stafford Cripps
person Samuel Hoare
person Ernest Bevin
person Kingsley Wood
person Bob Kerslake
person Archibald Sinclair, 1st Viscount Thurso
person Robert Craigie (diplomat)
place Newcastle upon Tyne
place Cranborne
place Hong Kong
place Gibraltar
place Dakar
place Africa
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation ING Group
 

Tuesday 5th November 1940

Overseas Air Communications.

extract Air Minister asks for resources to improve Empire communications links. "Reasonably quick air-mail" will boost morale
place Athens
place Egypt
place Iraq
place Hong Kong
place Cairo
place North America
place Europe
place South America
place Khartoum
place Africa
place Lisbon, New York
place Burma
place Rome
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Foreign and Commonwealth Office
organisation Minister of Economic Warfare
organisation United States Army
 

Assistance to China.

extract Halifax: General Chiang Kai-shek requests treaty of alliance with UK, USA and "concrete financial and economic help"
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Great Britain
place Moscow
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Shanghai
place Tokyo
place Republic of China
 

Reports for the Month of October 1940 for India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: New outbreak of civil disobedience in Hyderabad State. "Not clear" what Gandhi's next intention might be
person Charles de Gaulle
person William Patrick Stuart-Houston
place South Africa
place Great Britain
place Greece
place Somaliland
place Russian Empire
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Caribbean
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Gibraltar
place Cyprus
place Syria
place Africa
place Burma
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Indian National Congress
organisation Congress Working Committee
 

Wednesday 11th December 1940

Reports for the Month of November 1940 for the Dominions, India, Burma and the Colonies, Protectorates and Mandated Territories.

extract India Secretary: Civil disobedience continuing and spreading. Mr. Gandhi has extended considerably his anti-war campaign
person Charles de Gaulle
place South Africa
place Greece
place Egypt
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Jamaica
place Kenya
place Burma
organisation Air Force F.C.
organisation Royal Air Force
organisation Parliament of the United Kingdom
organisation United States Navy
organisation Royal Navy
organisation Government of Canada
 

Assembly of aircraft for Chinese Government British Territory.

extract Halifax explores how UK may supply China with aircraft from India without breaching Hague Convention, Japanese neutrality
person Chiang Kai-shek
place Russian Empire
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Thailand
place Washington
place Republic of China
place Burma
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
 

Meeting minutes

extract Morrison: 18,500 people successfully rehoused in Sheffield. Homeless there reduced to about 1,500
extract Talks proceeding on new finance deal with US. President Roosevelt hopes to put matter before Congress in "a few days"
extract General Dill: Some Sikh troops in Hong Kong apparently object "to wearing steel helmets". A number have been arrested
extract General Dill: Unconfirmed reports of German troops moving through Hungary, either to Roumania, Yugoslavia or Bulgaria
extract General Dill: Preparations for attack on Bardia continuing. Garrison believed to be 13,400. 40,000 prisoners now taken
person Walter Hines Page
person Herbert Morrison
place Athens
place Greece
place Egypt
place Cranborne
place Hungary
place Hong Kong
place Manchester, New Hampshire
place Bulgaria
organisation Ministry of Supply
organisation Home Office
organisation New Zealand Treasury
organisation Morning Star (UK newspaper)
organisation Indian National Congress
 

Friday 10th January 1941

Replacement of Losses of Merchant Ships.

extract Shipping Ministry projects 4m tons of UK shipping will be sunk this year. UK shipbuilding will only produce 1.2m tons
place Hong Kong
organisation Advanced Micro Devices
 

Wednesday 5th February 1941

Co-operation with the Netherlands East Indies.

extract Foreign Secretary Eden proposes mutual defence pact with Dutch East Indies and Burma, Malaya and Borneo
person Anthony Eden
place Hong Kong
place Burma
organisation Hopatcong High School
organisation Foreign Office (Germany)
organisation Government of Canada
 

Oil Position. Monthly Report for January, 1941, submitted by the Secretary for Petroleum.

extract Petroleum Secretary: January oil imports "on a very low level" but expect them to recover to Summer 1940 levels shortly
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
place Greece
place Hong Kong
place Singapore
place Malta
place Kenya
 

Monday 24th March 1941

Oil Position. Monthly Report for February, 1941, submitted by the Secretary for Petroleum.

extract Petroleum Minister will end "Help your Neighbour" scheme of extra petrol for organised free lifts at the end of the month
person Geoffrey Lloyd, Baron Geoffrey-Lloyd
place South Africa
place Hong Kong
place Malta
place Kenya
place Africa
organisation Royal Air Force
 

Tuesday 17th June 1941

Measures concerning Merchant Shipping in the event of war or general hostilities with Vichy.

extract Admiralty issues instructions concerning merchant shipping in the event of war or general hostilities with Vichy France
place Hong Kong
place Africa