Japanese surrender of Hong Kong
On September 16, 1945, a significant and symbolic moment unfolded aboard the USS Oglala in Victoria Harbour: the formal Japanese surrender of Hong Kong. This ceremony marked the end of a brutal chapter in the city’s history and the return of British sovereignty after nearly four years of harsh Japanese occupation during the Second World War. Though Japan had formally surrendered earlier, on September 2 aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, regional surrenders followed in various parts of Asia, including this one in Hong Kong, to solidify Allied control and begin the complex process of restoring governance and order.
The occupation of Hong Kong by the Japanese began on Christmas Day, 1941, following 18 days of fierce fighting. British, Canadian, and Indian forces, vastly outnumbered and poorly supplied, eventually succumbed to the Imperial Japanese Army. What followed was a period marked by widespread suffering, including food shortages, forced labor, executions, and the repression of civil liberties. The population of the city plummeted as many fled or perished under the harsh conditions.
As the tide of the war turned and Japan's defeat became imminent, preparations began for the re-establishment of British control over its former colony. By mid-August 1945, following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the Soviet Union's declaration of war against Japan, Emperor Hirohito announced Japan’s unconditional surrender. The Allies, through Supreme Commander General Douglas MacArthur, ordered Japanese forces in various regions to surrender to appropriate commanders. In the case of Hong Kong, the responsibility fell to British Rear Admiral Sir Cecil Harcourt, who arrived with a naval task force to oversee the formal proceedings and reoccupy the city.
The surrender ceremony took place aboard the USS Oglala, a former minelayer of the United States Navy that had been salvaged and recommissioned after being sunk during the attack on Pearl Harbor. This choice of vessel, once a symbol of American loss, now served as a stage for the restoration of Allied authority. On that day, Japanese officials, including Vice Admiral Ruitaro Fujita and Lieutenant General Tanaka Hisakazu, came aboard to formally sign the surrender documents. Representing the Allied forces, Rear Admiral Harcourt accepted the surrender on behalf of the British Crown.
The atmosphere was heavy with both relief and restrained tension. Though Japan had surrendered, the city was still reeling from the devastation of occupation. Infrastructure was in ruins, food and medical supplies were scarce, and law and order had to be rapidly reinstated. The formal surrender marked only the beginning of a long and difficult rebuilding process. Nevertheless, it was a clear and public assertion that Hong Kong was once again under British rule.
In the days that followed, British forces began to re-establish civil governance, repair public services, and provide much-needed aid to the civilian population. The Union Jack was raised once more over Government House, and the colonial administration resumed its functions under the leadership of a provisional military government. Rear Admiral Harcourt acted as the de facto governor until the return of a civilian governor in 1946.
The surrender aboard the USS Oglala did not receive the same level of international attention as the events in Tokyo Bay, but for the people of Hong Kong, it was a moment of profound significance. It marked the end of suffering under occupation and the hope of a return to normalcy, however tentative and uncertain the future might have seemed
