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维基百科，自由的百科全书
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这是本页的一个历史版本，由Rinbro（留言 | 贡献）在2021年1月1日 (五) 09:35编辑。这可能和当前版本存在着巨大的差异。

1912年–1918年香港總督梅含理爵士
1913年–1915年英國駐軍司令凱利少將

在第一次世界大戰（1914-1918年）期間，英屬香港並沒有參與任何直插的軍事活動。當時的殖民地政府認定德國的東亞分艦隊是對香港最大的外來威脅，但是該艦隊在1914年12月就被殲滅了。儘管如此，香港作為東亞最大的港口之一、以及英國海軍中國艦隊的總部，在戰爭中發揮了積極的作用，亦見證了重大的民生、經濟變化。

戰爭貢獻

戰時的香港是總督梅含理爵士。在開戰後的數個星期內，有約6萬至10萬名華人因擔心戰爭將波及香港，逃難至鄰近的廣東省[1][2]。戰爭期間，殖民政府獲授緊急權力，但僅在1917年使用過一次，以調節商品價格[2]。

香港守軍

開戰當時，香港的守軍共有一個英軍步兵營、兩個印軍步兵營，三個步兵營共計約4千人。除此之外，還有幾個海防砲兵連、約500人的義勇軍，以及由幾艘驅逐艦和潛艇組成的當地防禦艦隊。守軍由英國駐軍司令凱利少將（Francis Kelly）指揮。在1917年，香港防衛軍團（Hong Kong Defence Corps）成立並加入了香港守軍。香港造船廠亦改裝了三艘商船，成為武裝商船，以保衛港口和海上航道[2][3]。

在港居民的服役情況

由於當時在港大部份英國人皆是商人、專業人士或政府人員，所以戰爭初期的自願服役情況並不理想。至1915年初，只有47名英國人自願服役。1917年，政府通過《兵役法》（Military Service Ordinance），規定在香港居住的英國適齡男子必須服役。此法例導致了香港防衛軍團的成立[2]。防衛軍團參與了香港的防衛工作，令本在港防守的正規軍可以到歐洲服役[4]。終戰時，英國男性2,157人中有579人在香港以外的地方服役[1][4]。香港華人亦有參予中國勞工旅，到法國[1]及美索不達米亞協助協約國戰役[2]。

維多利亞港的戰爭角色

香港是戰時東亞最大的港口之一。1914年7月，英國海軍的中國艦隊奉命到香港聚集。故此，開戰當日，維多利亞港中聚集了前無畏艦勝利號（HMS Triumph）、一艘英國裝甲巡洋艦，一艘法國裝甲巡洋艦和兩艘輕巡洋艦。在港期間，勝利號因人手不足，從香港駐軍營中調動了士兵到船上服役。1914年8月12日，港島東部炮台由於過分緊張，對沒有遵守停止航行命令的日本貨輪四国丸（Shikoku Maru）發炮，導致船上一名水手死亡。在一戰以及協約國武裝干涉俄國內戰期間，香港成為了英國及其盟友的補給港。中國勞工旅亦是由香港港口出發至歐洲和中東[2][3]。

對港威脅

戰爭初期，對港最大的威脅是德國的東亞分艦隊。開戰當時，香港守軍得悉東亞分艦隊的主要艦隻已離開青島，變得十分緊張。1914年8月23日，日本加入協約國並對德國宣戰。大日本帝國海軍在亞洲水域有壓倒性的優勢，得以制衡德國艦隊，令東亞分艦隊對港的威脅減少[2]。11月，英日聯軍（包括從香港出發的前無畏艦勝利號）佔領德屬膠州。12月，東亞分艦隊的主要艦隻在福克蘭群島海戰遭到重創，德軍對香港亦已變成毫無威脅[4]。

在1917年前，英軍並未掌握中國對戰爭雙方的立場，所以對其存在戒心。雖然中國在1917年加入協約國，但中國內軍閥混戰、政權交替的情況亦令英軍不敢鬆懈。尤其是在毗鄰的廣東省，孫中山和廣東軍閥均在互相爭奪政權。雖然廣東各軍閥為互相敵對，但是都一致抱住中國民族主義。英軍視廣東的不穩定政權為「反英」政權，英軍內部開始為中國入侵的可能性作準備。雖然在1914年底，廣東的政局陷入混亂，令其對港的威脅減低，但中國入侵的可能性至終戰時才徹底消失。英軍為應付中國入侵，曾在九龍建造臨時戰壕[2][4][5]。

凱利亦曾在匯報中提及在港的印度籍警察、守衛以及居民有著「強烈的反英情緒」，是一個「真正的威脅」。凱利或是受到當時印度獨立運動和德國正在資助該運動的消息影響。儘管如此，在港的印度人在戰時一直保持和平狀態，反之在新加坡則於1915年爆發印度軍兵變[2]。

Economic contributions

Both the European and Chinese community supported the war effort by subscribing to war charities.[1] Local business magnate Chau Siu-ki served on the War Charities Committee.[6] The residents of Hong Kong donated two Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2s, HONG KONG, No. 1 and HONG KONG, No. 2, towards the Imperial Aircraft Flotilla fundraising scheme.[7][8] Wealthy individuals or organisations also made donations to the war effort, including Sir Robert Ho Tung who donated the cost of two aircraft and several ambulances to the British government.[6] A total of $10 million Hong Kong dollars were raised on top of the normal military contribution, including 2 million raised in the last two years of the war, after property owners (mostly Chinese) agreed to an additional rate assessment of 7 percent.[1][4] A government monopoly on opium, introduced in March 1914, became a major source of government income. By 1918, the profits from the monopoly accounted for 46.5 percent of total government revenue. This helped propel the Hong Kong economy into a wartime boom and also allow extra war contribution to Britain.[2]

Casualties

At least 75 residents who were recruited for military service were killed outside Hong Kong during the war. The war also saw the deaths of 535 Hong Kong Chinese, including 384 who were part of the Chinese Labour Corps in Mesopotamia. Many had died due to disease, exposures or accidents. Furthermore, at least 100 Chinese sailors in the British Merchant Navy were killed through military action, diseases or accidents.[2]

Anti-German sentiment

In 1911, 342 Germans, out of 5,248 Westerners, lived in Hong Kong. They were the second-largest Western community after the British.[4] The Germans generally exerted significant economic influence but little political influence.[2] Two days before the war, on August 3, 1914, the German consul Arthur Voretzsch received a telegram from Governor May stating that if war broke out, May would continue to allow Germans to continue their business operations in the city, as long as they are under oath that they would not seek to damage British interests.[9] After war broke out on August 5, 1914, May expressed his feelings of the war to Voretzsh:

My dear Dr Voretzsch, I am grieved to tell you that the worst has happened and that our countries are now at war. I would give my life if I could avert such a catastrophe by so doing.[9]

In contrast to the Governor's sentiments, Commander Kelly was weary of the German residents of the colony. On October 5, 1914, Kelly wrote to May:

I look upon every German, man or woman, at large in the Colony, as a potential factor for evil, and possibly for prolonging the war. There is little doubt they spread rumours and not unnaturally do what they can to incite the Chinese and Indians against us... Their presence renders it necessary to take more elaborate precautions in guarding all important places. Personally, I should not be sorry to see all fit for service made prisoners of war.[10]

A few days later the outbreak of war, the colonial government placed enemy aliens on parole. Germans were allowed to continue their business, but they had to report to the police at stated time, restricted to certain areas in the city and were not allowed to leave Hong Kong.[2][10] On August 12, London ordered the German consulate in Hong Kong closed down, and Germans and Austrians would be represented by the then-neutral American consulate.[9] Following a public outcry, the Prussian double-headed eagle emblem of the Deutsch-Asiatische Bank building was removed.[10]

Within the first week of war, Germans were already being arrested.[11][12] They were first sent to a quarantine station on Stonecutters Island[13]. Philipp Wittmann, a worker on the German shipping freighter SS Princess Alice that arrived in Hong Kong days after the the declaration of war,[11] described the camp on the island as a "small, heavily fenced-off, barren space," one where the internees were constantly threatened by typhoons.[12] On September 12, the internees were moved to an unfinished camp near Hung Hom.[2][10] The Hung Hom camp was considered an improvement to the Stonecutters Island camp.[12] Meanwhile, women and children were kept in a downtown hotel and were catered for by the hotel chefs and staff.[14]

On October 6, the Legislative Council passed a bill that allowed German firms to conduct new business, subject to certain restrictions.[9] However, in the same month, London had pressured the colonial government to pass the "Trading with the Enemy Ordinance", which allowed the government to prevent, detect, and punish any acts of trade between residents and the enemy, and to wind up the assets of enemy banks. Using the ordinance as a legal basis, all German firms were liquidated and many German properties were confiscated.[2] In the last week of October, after Germany issued a call-up of their military reserves, an order for internment was issued in Hong Kong. On October 31, all Germans in Hong Kong on the reserve list were to be interned.[10][12] German women, children, and those above military age were made to leave the city for the Shanghai International Settlement or Manila. [2][10]

German nationals from the Kiautschou Bay concession were also transferred to the camp after the concession was captured by the Entente in November 1914.[10] The internees were allowed to celebrate Christmas, and a masked ball was held for New Year's Eve. On January 27, Emperor Wilhelm II's birthday was celebrated by the internees in secrecy. On the next day, food rationings were cut short after London learned of the treatment of British soldiers in German camps.[12] The prisoners complained they were treated like coolies,[14] and Germany complained about the conditions of the camp to the United States, who sent Consulate General George E. Anderson in February 1915 to inspect the camp. Following an escorted inspection, he found the camp to be satisfactory.[10][15] On 17 February 1915[12], when five internees were given tools to build an earthen stage for a theatre hut. With the tools, they dug a 180 feet tunnel and attempted to escaped.[2][4] One internee was shot by a sentry and captured, and another was found in the hills of New Territories. The remaining three were caught attempting to cross into China near Sai Kung.[2][4][10] In another subsequent incident on May 21, 1915[12], an internee attempted to escape when he was allowed to go to the toilet during a visit to the dentist. He was caught in the same night.[10] Typhoons continued to be a threat. In one occasion, on October 30, 1915, the internees had to be temporarily evacuated to the Gun Club Hill Barracks.[12]

In January 1916, all the internees were transferred aboard SS Empire to another internment camp in Holsworthy, Australia.[11][13] When the war was over, they were deported to Germany and their properties were never returned.[2]

In total, the Stonecutters Island camp held 226 prisoners.[14] After the transfer to the Hung Hom camp, the prisoner population was "around 200."[2] In 1916, more than 300 internees, including 7 women and 13 children, were sent to Australia.[13] Famous internees included local entrepreneur Jacob Jebsen.[9]

Aftermath

Despite the exodus of Hong Kong residents in 1914 and a decrease of the Western population from 20,710 to 13,600 between 1914 to 1919, the population of Hong Kong as a whole grew rapidly during the war, from 501,304 (1914) to 598,100 (1919).[4]

After formal conclusion of the war in July 1919, Hong Kong celebrated with fireworks, motorcades and parades. Despite the celebrations, severe inflation griped the city. The inflation was caused by wartime shortages and a rise in the local population. A week after the celebrations, following news of crops failure in Thailand, along with the restrictions of exports in Indochina and India and a surge in demand in Japan, a major rice riot broke out.[1][4] The riots were quelled after the distribution of free meals to local, the importation of rice from Indochina and the purchase of rice stock by the government.[2]

As Europeans left the colony to serve in the military, Chinese businessmen were able to move into businesses traditionally dominated by Europeans, such as banking and shipping.[1] Three major Chinese banks, including the Bank of East Asia, were founded between 1914 and 1919.[4] In turn, British and Entente businessmen displaced their German rivals. Because of the deportation of Germans, there were only 3 Germans in Hong Kong in 1921.[2]

Citations

  1. ^ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Carroll 2007，第86-87頁.
  2. ^ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 Kwong 2020.
  3. ^ 3.0 3.1 Kwong 2014，第24-25頁.
  4. ^ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 Tsang 2004，第85–87頁.
  5. ^ Kwong 2014，第25-26頁.
  6. ^ 6.0 6.1 Carroll 2006，第532頁.
  7. ^ The Imperial Aircraft Flotilla 1916，第16頁.
  8. ^ Holman 2014.
  9. ^ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Heaver 2014.
  10. ^ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 Smith 1994，第53-55頁.
  11. ^ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Cockhill 2020.
  12. ^ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 12.7 Wittmann 1919.
  13. ^ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Monteath 2018，第47–48頁.
  14. ^ 14.0 14.1 14.2 Murply 2017，第159-160頁.
  15. ^ TNA 1915.

References

检索自“https://zh.wikipedia.org/zhwiki/w/index.php?title=User:Rinbro/HK&oldid=63530657”