Hong Kong 1941–45: First strike in the Pacific War (Campaign, 263)

Well written. Shows how unprepared all the Allies were at the beginning of WWII.

As the Second World War approached in the late 1930's, the British colony of Hong Kong was generally considered indefensible against its most likely opponent, Imperial Japanese forces already operating in eastern China. On December 08, 1941, Japanese air, ground and naval forces struck at a variety of allied targets in the Far East, including Hong Kong. The British garrison of the colony, including local volunteers and two just-arrived Canadian Army battalions, put up a gallant and desperate defense, holding out for 18 days against superior forces. This is their story."Hong Kong 1941-45" is a new Osprey Campaign Series book, authored by Benjamin Lai, with illustrations by Giuseppe Rava. It follows the usual format, with an upfront comparison of the opposing commanders, their forces, and their plans. The heart of the narrative is a detailed recounting of the actual fighting, from the assualt on Hong Kong's border redoubt to the reduction of its last ditch holdouts on Hong Kong Island itself. The story is an exciting one, and told in a relatively even-handed manner. The author does not avoid the topic of alleged Japanese atrocities, but limits the details in favor of staying on topic. The aftermath of the fighting, in which Chinese Communist Forces cooperated with a British liaison group to rescue prisoners of war and other detainees, makes for a fascinating conclusion. Recommended for its insight into a largely overlooked part of the Second World War.

Excellent overview of a little-known campaign. The Japanese earned this victory with imagination, daring and considerable courage. The British forces, far from folding up as is implied in most general histories of the war, gave it their utmost and the actions, reactions and interactions of both sides are well documented here.The period of the occupation and the events of liberation at war's end get much shorter treatment. For clandestine activities during the war we must apparently await further declassifications.It is a typical Osprey book in that it is thin and well illustrated. For all that, it falls nearly alone into an empty niche. The Japanese capture of HK is dismissed in most histories in a single clause in a single sentence about the initial campaigns of the Pacific War. A lot of things happened here in late 1941 that deserve to be remembered and studied.

Bought for a Christmas gift so no idea if the book is good, but it arrived promptly, well packaged and good quality feel to it.

I wanted to like this, as my library did not have a stand-alone volume on the fall of Hong Kong. Yet, I ended up disappointed. The writing is erratic, and at times weak, with a strange tendency by the author to use exclamation points way too much. In addition, there are some issues that make one question just how much Mr. Lai understands the forces of the Pacific War. For example, he consistently refers to shot down American pilots as having the rank of "Flight Lieutenant." Over the years I've seen the Osprey Campaign Series' quality improve. Yet this is something of a step back, requiring basic proofreading and editing.

A bit disjointed, not linking the actions clearly, but at least making the reader more aware of the heroic effort to defend the colony by a totally inadequate and undersupplied force. Canadian readers will be proud of the stand by their units who arrived only shortly before the attack. The work does also point out something that harmed Japanese efforts later in the war: the insistence on direct obedience to higher orders, and even the punishment of commanders who displayed initiative, even when it had good results. The work touched on resistance efforts after the surrender, which might be a subject for an entire book on their own.

It is amazing how much bungling went into the British planning, and execution of the defense against the Japanese in this campaign. The one bit which was contrary to the standard mismanagement was a group of geezers, of which the youngest was about 55 years of age, and some with combat experience back to the Boer War, fighting tooth and nail with their enemy. That part of the book was a real eye-opener!

Concise history of the tragic defense and fall of Hong Kong. Well illustrated with pictures and maps. Excellent way to get an overview of a significant historical event.

Un buen libro de consulta sobre la derrota del Imperio Británico en Hong Kong durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial. A pesar del título, la obra versa fundamentalmente sobre los combates y la conquista japonesa de la colonia británica en diciembre de 1941. Sólo dedica unas pocas páginas a lo sucedido en Hong Kong desde la ocupación japonesa hasta la liberación aliada ocurrida en septiembre 1945. El libro cuenta con una buena colección de fotografías, completos órdenes de batalla y varios mapas muy detallados donde se pueden seguir sin problema todos los enfrentamientos ocurridos durante el ataque nipón.Saludos

Although not a great fan of these short Osprey Campaign series books, as have found way too many historical mistakes in some I have (i.e. Java Sea 1942 and Sinking of Force Z 1941, to name but two blooper standouts) I was pleasantly surpised by this one. So if you do not mind the format these books are laid out in then it is highly recommended for anyone who wants a short but concise 'uncluttered' overview of the Battle for Hong Kong.

The book gives a very good insight to what happen to Hong Kong during the WWII from both side. So many previous books are written by one side and do not give a balance view of the attack and the defense of Hong Kong. I have learnt that there were many commonwealth troops which helped to defend Hong Kong from the invasion by the Japanese. I fully recommend this book for all fans of military history, in particularly the history of 2nd World War in Far East Asia.

I was disappointed that there were so few original pictures and the photographs tended to be ones that have appeared elsewhere, with one incorrectly described as being the E Brigade headquarters. The text was on the 'light' side and anyone who has read extensively on this subject will not, I suspect, find a great deal that adds to their knowledge. However, for others, it is a perfectly adequate introductory book on the war in Hong Kong.

GOOD BOOK ABOUT MILITARY HISTORY