Apparently, myths become truths if upheld long enough.1 —Eric Chaisson, American astrophysicist
Myths plague our understanding of history, invading our collective memory to push agendas and steering the direction of the discourse. They often carry an air of legitimacy based upon how they are delivered and who is discussing them. Military history is particularly susceptible to historical myths as the confusion of battle, the desire to protect reputations, the tragic loss of human life, plus nationalism are just some of the elements that often cloud our historical understanding. Furthermore, myths often are spread through popular and academic history, furthering their reach and entrenching them in the collective memory. The legacy of the Battle of Hong Kong suffers greatly from this combination of influences.
Historians must do all they can to correct myths and falsehoods. As such, the Battle of Hong Kong needs a re-examination. Myths associated with the battle can only be challenged when they are corrected. The first part of this dissertation will do just that. The legacy of the battle cannot be changed until the myths are dispelled. Canada’s role in the Battle of Hong Kong should not be seen as a national shame, a symbol of gross government incompetence in war, or another episode in the long-running series of anti-British antagonisms in Canadian military history. To move forward with our understanding of the Battle of Hong Kong and Canada’s early involvement in the Second World War, these myths must be deprived of their power.
1 Eric Chaisson, Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos (New York: Columbia University Press, 2005), 418