The East River Column and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade

25.6.2004 – 6.10.2004

Upper Gallery

Since the Japanese invaded South China in 1938, anti-Japanese guerrilla forces had sprang up within the Guangdong province. After the fall of Hong Kong in late 1941, many local people joined the guerrillas in Hong Kong, which was developed into the Hong Kong-Kowloon Brigade in February 1942. With the formal establishment of the East River Column under the lead of the Communist Party of China in December 1943, the renamed Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade became one of its sub units. They carried out guerrilla activities against Japanese and assisted the Chinese and the Allied forces in staging counter offensives. The East River Column and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade soon developed into distinguish guerilla forces in South China, contributed significantly towards the Chinese victory at the War of Resistance against Japan.

This exhibition is jointly presented by the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Culture and the Leisure & Cultural Services Department, and co-organised by the Museum of the Peasant Movement Institute and the Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence. On display are some highlight exhibits of the East River Column and the Hong Kong-Kowloon Independent Brigade. It is hoped that the visitors will have a better understanding of the history and the achievements of these two anti-Japanese guerrilla forces, and appreciate the arduous efforts of our elder generation in protecting our home and country.