Resistance in Hong Kong: The East River Guerrillas in the Second World War and After
Hong Kong University Press's picture
Published by Hong Kong University Press
* Hong Kong
* Asian history: Second World War
* Military history
Author: Chan, S. J.
ISBN: 978 962 209 850 3
Format: Hardback
Pages: 250
List price(s): 32.50 GBP 34.00 EUR
Publication date: 14 April 2009
Short description
Tells the story of the Chinese guerrilla forces who harassed the Japanese in the World War II period of occupation, and played a crucial part in the escapes from Hong Kong's prisoner of war camps and in rescuing Allied airmen. This book recounts how the leaders of the East River Column faired in the period up to and after the Communist victory.
Full description
Hong Kong's story in World War II has been predominantly told as a story of the British forces and their defeat on Christmas Day 1941. But there is another story: that of the Chinese guerrilla forces who harassed the Japanese throughout the period of the occupation, played a crucial part in the escapes from Hong Kong's prisoner of war camps and in rescuing Allied airmen. This neglected part of Hong Kong's war is S. J. Chan's topic in this pioneering book informed by his many contacts with participants in the guerrilla warfare. The guerrilla group usually described as the East River Column gathered momentum in 1937 after China and Japan embarked on fully-fledged war. Mr. Chan reports on its precursors and the formation of more formal structures that provided the basis for the guerrilla activities in Hong Kong between 1941 and 1945. Just as the guerrilla's story starts before WWII, so it goes on after 1945 and is entwined with the Civil War and Liberation of China itself. An important and valuable part of this book recounts how the leaders of the East River Column faired in the period up to and after the Communist victory. So the book also sheds new light on the struggle between the Guangdong party members and the cadres from the north and 'the problem of Guangdong' as it was characterized by Mao Tse-tung.
Hong Kong University Press's picture
Published by Hong Kong University Press
* Hong Kong
* Asian history: Second World War
* Military history
Author: Chan, S. J.
ISBN: 978 962 209 850 3
Format: Hardback
Pages: 250
List price(s): 32.50 GBP 34.00 EUR
Publication date: 14 April 2009
Short description
Tells the story of the Chinese guerrilla forces who harassed the Japanese in the World War II period of occupation, and played a crucial part in the escapes from Hong Kong's prisoner of war camps and in rescuing Allied airmen. This book recounts how the leaders of the East River Column faired in the period up to and after the Communist victory.
Full description
Hong Kong's story in World War II has been predominantly told as a story of the British forces and their defeat on Christmas Day 1941. But there is another story: that of the Chinese guerrilla forces who harassed the Japanese throughout the period of the occupation, played a crucial part in the escapes from Hong Kong's prisoner of war camps and in rescuing Allied airmen. This neglected part of Hong Kong's war is S. J. Chan's topic in this pioneering book informed by his many contacts with participants in the guerrilla warfare. The guerrilla group usually described as the East River Column gathered momentum in 1937 after China and Japan embarked on fully-fledged war. Mr. Chan reports on its precursors and the formation of more formal structures that provided the basis for the guerrilla activities in Hong Kong between 1941 and 1945. Just as the guerrilla's story starts before WWII, so it goes on after 1945 and is entwined with the Civil War and Liberation of China itself. An important and valuable part of this book recounts how the leaders of the East River Column faired in the period up to and after the Communist victory. So the book also sheds new light on the struggle between the Guangdong party members and the cadres from the north and 'the problem of Guangdong' as it was characterized by Mao Tse-tung.
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