December 824 1941 Japan in WWI During WWI Japan was allied with the Entente Powers our side Japan played an important role in securing sea lanes in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans against ID: 293284
Download Presentation The PPT/PDF document "The Battle of Hong Kong" is the property of its rightful owner. Permission is granted to download and print the materials on this web site for personal, non-commercial use only, and to display it on your personal computer provided you do not modify the materials and that you retain all copyright notices contained in the materials. By downloading content from our website, you accept the terms of this agreement.
Slide1
The Battle of Hong Kong
December 8-24, 1941Slide2
Japan in WWI
During WWI, Japan was allied with the Entente Powers (our side)
Japan played
an important role in securing
sea
lanes in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans against
the German Navy
Through its participation in the War Japan sought to expand its sphere of influence and regain its position as a great power
Japan participated in the Versailles negotiations and gained a permanent seat on the Council of the league of Nations
Japan re-emerged as a great power in international politicsSlide3
Imperial Japan
The prosperity brought on by World War I did not
last
Internal political turmoil and economic crisis in the 1920s and 1930s contributed to the rise of Japanese ultra-nationalism and militarism
In 1931 Japan invaded Manchuria and withdrew from the League of Nations, which condemned the act
International isolation fed ultra-nationalism.
Mayors
, teachers and Shinto priests were recruited by ultra-nationalist movements to indoctrinate citizensSlide4Slide5Slide6
Japanese Aggression
In July
1937 Japan invaded
China.
The
offensive developed into a full scale war,
and Japan
enjoyed military superiority over
China and the
army advanced quickly
By
December, the Japanese had defeated Chinese forces at Shanghai and seized Nanking.
There
Japanese troops committed the greatest atrocity of an incredibly brutal
war
During the ‘Rape
of Nanking’,
an
estimated 300,000 civilians were slaughtered
.
By 1939, the war was in stalemate; Chinese Communist and Nationalist forces continued to resistSlide7Slide8Slide9
Japanese Imperialism
1904: Japan occupies Korea
1931: Japan occupies Manchuria
1937: The “Rape” of Nanking
1940: French Indo-China occupied
September: Japan signs the Tri-Partite Pact with Germany and Italy
Remains neutral (in the short term)Slide10
Japan Enters WWII
In
1940, Japan signed the Tripartite Pact, creating the Rome-Tokyo-Berlin
Axis
In July, 1941
, the US President
Roosevelt announced
an oil embargo on
Japan
Japan relied heavily on oil imported from the US
For
Japan, the move was the perfect pretext for war, unleashed
on
Dec
7
th
, 1941
with the
Pearl
Harbour
attack
This brought the US into WWII
Japan attacks Hong Kong Dec
8
th
, 1941Slide11
Let’s Think…
What does Japan have in common with Germany and Italy in the 1930s?
Was bringing the US into the War a wise move for the Axis Powers?
Why?
Was it possible for Japan defeat the US?
Why?Slide12
The Battle of Hong Kong
After the Japanese attacked Pearl
Harbour
, they attacked Hong Kong (A British Colony)
Many knew that Hong Kong was impossible to defend.
More than 1,900 Canadians volunteered to defend Hong Kong. They were considered to be “Lambs to the Slaughter”
More than 550 Canadians were killed. The rest were taken prisoner by the Japanese.
The Canadians defend
Hong Kong in 1941Slide13
Hong Kong
British Colony
Population 1941: 1.5 million
Colony 410 sq. miles
Island 29 sq. milesSlide14Slide15Slide16
The British Problem
The British army is overstretched
Defence
of UK
Middle East
India
Malaya/Singapore
What to do with Hong Kong?
August 1940: British Chiefs of Staff “
“Hold as long as possible” but recognized that, if war came, Hong Kong could not be reinforced or relieved.
Churchill January, 1941:“This
is all wrong. If Japan goes to war with us there is not the slightest chance of holding Hong Kong or relieving it.”Slide17
Canadian Involvement
September 19, 1941: The British formally request Canadian aid in the defense of Hong Kong
September 27, 1941:
The Canadians approve the request
“anything which would either defer or deter Japan from coming in [to the war] would be highly desirable from our point of view
.”
J.L. Ralston, Minister of National
DefenceSlide18
Who to Send?
Royal Rifles of Canada--mobilized July 8
th
, 1940--garrisoned in Newfoundland
Winnipeg Grenadiers--mobilized Sept 1
st
, 1940--garrisoned in Jamaica
Basic
training (16 weeks)
just 6% had less
Weapons training (incomplete due to shortages)
Company level training incomplete
Battalion level training incompleteSlide19Slide20
The Battle Chronology
7 December: Japanese 38th Division attacks from the north
9 December: The “Gin Drinkers Line” is broken
15 December: The Japanese cross to Hong Kong Island
20 December: The island is divided
25 December: The Garrison surrendersSlide21Slide22Slide23
Summary
Canadian soldiers first engaged in battle while defending the British Crown Colony of Hong Kong against a Japanese attack in December, 1941.
The
Canadians at Hong Kong fought against overwhelming odds and most had limited military training.
They
had virtually no chance of victory, but refused to surrender until they were overrun by the enemy.
Those
who survived the battle became prisoners of war (POWs) and many endured torture and starvation by their Japanese
captors.
Prisoners would
often work 12 hours a day in mines or on the docks in the cold, subsisting on rations of 800 calories a
day.
Many
did not survive.
In
all, more than 550 of the 1,975 Canadians who sailed from Vancouver in October 1941 never returned. Slide24
The Final Canadian Tally
Dead 23 officers/267 other ranks
Wounded 28 officers/465 other ranks
Died in captivity: 4 officers/124 other ranks
4 shot
Diphtheria, 1942: 50 dead
136 died during forced
labour
in Japan
Of 1975 Canadians who left Canada in October 1941, 557 never returnedSlide25