<P> The Japanese attack began shortly after 08 : 00 on 8 December 1941 ( Hong Kong Time ) , four hours after the Attack on Pearl Harbor ( difference in time and date is due to the day shift that occurs because of the International date line ) . Commanded by Major - General Christopher Maltby , British , Canadian , Indian , as well as the local Hong Kong Chinese Regiment , and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps , resisted the Japanese attack by the Japanese 21st , 23rd and the 38th Regiments ( Lieutenant General Takashi Sakai ) but were outnumbered nearly four to one ( Japanese , 52,000 ; Allied , 14,000 ) and lacked their opponents ' recent combat experience . The colony had no significant air defence . The RAF station at Hong Kong 's Kai Tak Airport ( RAF Kai Tak ) had only five aeroplanes : two Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft and three Vickers Vildebeest torpedo - reconnaissance bombers , flown and serviced by seven officers and 108 airmen . An earlier request for a fighter squadron had been rejected and the nearest fully operational RAF base was in Kota Bharu , Malaya , nearly 2,250 km ( 1,400 mi ) away . Hong Kong also lacked adequate naval defences . Three destroyers were to withdraw to Singapore Naval Base . </P>
<P> The Japanese attack began shortly after 08 : 00 on 8 December 1941 ( Hong Kong Time ) , four hours after the Attack on Pearl Harbor ( difference in time and date is due to the day shift that occurs because of the International date line ) . Commanded by Major - General Christopher Maltby , British , Canadian , Indian , as well as the local Hong Kong Chinese Regiment , and the Hong Kong Volunteer Defence Corps , resisted the Japanese attack by the Japanese 21st , 23rd and the 38th Regiments ( Lieutenant General Takashi Sakai ) but were outnumbered nearly four to one ( Japanese , 52,000 ; Allied , 14,000 ) and lacked their opponents ' recent combat experience . The colony had no significant air defence . The RAF station at Hong Kong 's Kai Tak Airport ( RAF Kai Tak ) had only five aeroplanes : two Supermarine Walrus amphibious aircraft and three Vickers Vildebeest torpedo - reconnaissance bombers , flown and serviced by seven officers and 108 airmen . An earlier request for a fighter squadron had been rejected and the nearest fully operational RAF base was in Kota Bharu , Malaya , nearly 2,250 km ( 1,400 mi ) away . Hong Kong also lacked adequate naval defences . Three destroyers were to withdraw to Singapore Naval Base . </P>
when did the battle of hong kong start
when did the battle of hong kong start
shortly after 08 : 00 on 8 December 1941 ( Hong Kong Time )
shortly after 08 : 00 on 8 December 1941 ( Hong Kong Time )