From Oblivion to Triumph
@force136ca.bsky.social
Telling the story of the Battle for Hong Kong, #SOE Force 136, and the making of modern Canada by Rick Green.
Pinned
From Oblivion to Triumph - How Two Vancouverites Meeting in Free China Changed Canadian History
YouTube video by WW2TV
www.youtube.com
For an introduction to the story about the Battle for Hong Kong, #SOE, Force 136, and the making of modern Canada, see the presentation by Rick Green on #WW2TV with @ww2tv.bsky.social at www.youtube.com/live/dEebnwD....
The introduction of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator to #SEAC in late 1944 was important for supplying #Force136 teams in #Malaya. The only other aircraft capable of the 3,200km roundtrip flight from India was the Consolidated PBY Catalina, but it lacked in payload and overall airlift capacity.
December 29, 2025 at 6:01 PM
For those wanting to understand Japanese revisionist expansionism that ultimately resulted in decolonisation in Asia, these periodicals provide an interesting perspective...
No shortage of Japanese wartime (propaganda) periodicals available in English for students to explore as (challenging) primary sources:
Tokyo Gazette 1937-42
archive.org/search?query...
Contemporary Japan 1941-5
froginawell.net/frog/sources...
Tokyo Gazette 1937-42
archive.org/search?query...
Contemporary Japan 1941-5
froginawell.net/frog/sources...
December 28, 2025 at 7:33 AM
For those wanting to understand Japanese revisionist expansionism that ultimately resulted in decolonisation in Asia, these periodicals provide an interesting perspective...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Interesting mixed medium approach to this Asahi feature on opium and Japanese occupied Manchuria: www.asahi.com/special/manc...
Manchuria: a “utopia” created by opium [Premium A special] : The Asahi Shimbun
This is the dark history of Manchukuo based on fact. In Manchukuo, which was a puppet state of Japan, opium was rampant, and the sales of opium supported the national finances and were used as funding...
www.asahi.com
December 27, 2025 at 3:31 AM
Interesting mixed medium approach to this Asahi feature on opium and Japanese occupied Manchuria: www.asahi.com/special/manc...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#histbookchat #booksky In my research for my Battle for Hong Kong presentation, I came across "Escape from Hong Kong" by Tim Luard: hkupress.hku.hk/index.php?ro.... It's a well-written, captivating story about an escape to Free China by MTBs that has the makings of a dramatic movie.
August 2, 2025 at 4:56 PM
#histbookchat #booksky In my research for my Battle for Hong Kong presentation, I came across "Escape from Hong Kong" by Tim Luard: hkupress.hku.hk/index.php?ro.... It's a well-written, captivating story about an escape to Free China by MTBs that has the makings of a dramatic movie.
#OTD in 1941, it was Black Christmas in #Hongkong when Governor Sir Mark Aitchison Young surrendered the colony to the Japanese at the Peninsula Hotel. Those of C Force surviving the battle, would have to endure 3 years, 8 months, and 4 days of brutal incarceration under the Japanese...
December 25, 2025 at 8:25 PM
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
👀 Brilliant temporary exhibition "Spies, Lies & Deception" at Imperial War Museum North, highlighting the history of SOE, MI5 and SIS. Really well curated and full of gadgets and spy paraphernalia.
December 22, 2025 at 4:01 PM
👀 Brilliant temporary exhibition "Spies, Lies & Deception" at Imperial War Museum North, highlighting the history of SOE, MI5 and SIS. Really well curated and full of gadgets and spy paraphernalia.
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
1. This History Thread is about roles of #Nisei (Japanese ancestry, American born) soldiers in WW2 Burma. In Allies' fight vs Imperial Japan's occupation, Nisei were translators & psych war experts. My new book "Where the Mithuns Are" includes Karl Yoneda in Burma. (Order via last post #17.) 📚
December 14, 2025 at 7:51 AM
1. This History Thread is about roles of #Nisei (Japanese ancestry, American born) soldiers in WW2 Burma. In Allies' fight vs Imperial Japan's occupation, Nisei were translators & psych war experts. My new book "Where the Mithuns Are" includes Karl Yoneda in Burma. (Order via last post #17.) 📚
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
A big part of being a historian is being a detective! Who did this? Why? Where? Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things? You have to learn how to probe, how to uncover, how to read against the grain, how to find unusual sources, how to interpret those sources. How to piece together a puzzle
It also robs students of learning *how* to research.
December 21, 2025 at 2:01 PM
A big part of being a historian is being a detective! Who did this? Why? Where? Why does it matter in the grand scheme of things? You have to learn how to probe, how to uncover, how to read against the grain, how to find unusual sources, how to interpret those sources. How to piece together a puzzle
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
🚨 TOMORROW FOR SUBSCRIBERS🚨
Duncan Gilmour and Richard Duckett rewrite WWII special-forces history. Peacock’s SOE Burma ops, 723 women, and post-VJ Day battles reveal a forgotten side of the war. 🎧🌏
#WW2 #SOE #Podcast
Subscribe: www.patreon.com/historyrage
Or join on Apple subscriptions
Duncan Gilmour and Richard Duckett rewrite WWII special-forces history. Peacock’s SOE Burma ops, 723 women, and post-VJ Day battles reveal a forgotten side of the war. 🎧🌏
#WW2 #SOE #Podcast
Subscribe: www.patreon.com/historyrage
Or join on Apple subscriptions
December 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
🚨 TOMORROW FOR SUBSCRIBERS🚨
Duncan Gilmour and Richard Duckett rewrite WWII special-forces history. Peacock’s SOE Burma ops, 723 women, and post-VJ Day battles reveal a forgotten side of the war. 🎧🌏
#WW2 #SOE #Podcast
Subscribe: www.patreon.com/historyrage
Or join on Apple subscriptions
Duncan Gilmour and Richard Duckett rewrite WWII special-forces history. Peacock’s SOE Burma ops, 723 women, and post-VJ Day battles reveal a forgotten side of the war. 🎧🌏
#WW2 #SOE #Podcast
Subscribe: www.patreon.com/historyrage
Or join on Apple subscriptions
Looking for a thoughtful children's #Christmas gift? Endgame: The Secret #Force136, written by @catherinelittle.bsky.social and vividly illustrated by Sean Huang, teaches on many levels. Read this review for details thebcreview.ca/2025/09/21/2....
#histbookchat #BookSky #KidsBook #HistoryForKids
#histbookchat #BookSky #KidsBook #HistoryForKids
December 15, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Looking for a thoughtful children's #Christmas gift? Endgame: The Secret #Force136, written by @catherinelittle.bsky.social and vividly illustrated by Sean Huang, teaches on many levels. Read this review for details thebcreview.ca/2025/09/21/2....
#histbookchat #BookSky #KidsBook #HistoryForKids
#histbookchat #BookSky #KidsBook #HistoryForKids
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
On this day in 1944 Operation Romulus begins.
Men of 17 Battalion, 5 Mahratta Light Infantry of 53 Indian Infantry Brigade push through bamboo scrub.
Image from Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945 by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/3IYyMci
Men of 17 Battalion, 5 Mahratta Light Infantry of 53 Indian Infantry Brigade push through bamboo scrub.
Image from Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945 by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/3IYyMci
December 12, 2025 at 6:36 PM
On this day in 1944 Operation Romulus begins.
Men of 17 Battalion, 5 Mahratta Light Infantry of 53 Indian Infantry Brigade push through bamboo scrub.
Image from Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945 by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/3IYyMci
Men of 17 Battalion, 5 Mahratta Light Infantry of 53 Indian Infantry Brigade push through bamboo scrub.
Image from Jungle Commandos: The Battle for Arakan, Burma 1945 by Lucy Betteridge-Dyson.
Find out more: https://bit.ly/3IYyMci
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Delivered a guest lecture to students at @ucl.ac.uk based on my recent paper, ‘Hong Kong Colonial Government Migrated Archives at Hanslope Park’, published open access in @jich.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
December 12, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Delivered a guest lecture to students at @ucl.ac.uk based on my recent paper, ‘Hong Kong Colonial Government Migrated Archives at Hanslope Park’, published open access in @jich.bsky.social www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
“Ambitious in scope, rigorously researched & forensics in its assessments”, Misfire is “a must read” for anyone interested in the Malaya Campaign in #WWII & the #history of SOF: says me! Congratulations to @hisbpf.bsky.social on his latest 📖 📚
#WeHaveWays #Historybookposts
#WeHaveWays #Historybookposts
December 12, 2025 at 6:57 AM
“Ambitious in scope, rigorously researched & forensics in its assessments”, Misfire is “a must read” for anyone interested in the Malaya Campaign in #WWII & the #history of SOF: says me! Congratulations to @hisbpf.bsky.social on his latest 📖 📚
#WeHaveWays #Historybookposts
#WeHaveWays #Historybookposts
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#OTD in 1937, USS Panay was attacked and sunk in China by Japanese forces. The Japanese claimed they had misidentified the ship and that the attack was an accident.
December 12, 2025 at 10:00 PM
#OTD in 1937, USS Panay was attacked and sunk in China by Japanese forces. The Japanese claimed they had misidentified the ship and that the attack was an accident.
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
In my latest Legion Magazine article, I speak to historian Allan Levine about how Canada’s business leaders helped win WW II. His new book is "The Dollar a Year Men," published by Barlow Books.
legionmagazine.com/historian-al...
📸 Courtesy Allan Levine
legionmagazine.com/historian-al...
📸 Courtesy Allan Levine
December 10, 2025 at 6:37 PM
In my latest Legion Magazine article, I speak to historian Allan Levine about how Canada’s business leaders helped win WW II. His new book is "The Dollar a Year Men," published by Barlow Books.
legionmagazine.com/historian-al...
📸 Courtesy Allan Levine
legionmagazine.com/historian-al...
📸 Courtesy Allan Levine
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
From the mouths of the survivors. Force Z is often criticised through cursory analysis. But there is no doubt HMS Repulse was not up to the job. Here's how the sailors who served upon her experienced her demise. #OTD #WW2 #HISTORY #Navalhistory
youtu.be/5_NkGtIBK_M?...
youtu.be/5_NkGtIBK_M?...
Force Z | Repulse - Lamb to the slaughter (Part 1 of 3)
YouTube video by Armoured Archivist
youtu.be
December 10, 2025 at 10:41 AM
From the mouths of the survivors. Force Z is often criticised through cursory analysis. But there is no doubt HMS Repulse was not up to the job. Here's how the sailors who served upon her experienced her demise. #OTD #WW2 #HISTORY #Navalhistory
youtu.be/5_NkGtIBK_M?...
youtu.be/5_NkGtIBK_M?...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
10 Dec 1941 // Battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea east of Kuantan, Malaya. They were operating without air cover. 840 men died, 327 from Prince of Wales and 513 from Repulse. (Images all from Imperial War Museum.) [1/2]
December 10, 2025 at 4:22 PM
10 Dec 1941 // Battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser HMS Repulse were sunk by Japanese aircraft in the South China Sea east of Kuantan, Malaya. They were operating without air cover. 840 men died, 327 from Prince of Wales and 513 from Repulse. (Images all from Imperial War Museum.) [1/2]
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
This week’s podcast is a rough overview of the sinking of HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. Mainly questioning why they were there, the mission they were on and setup for Saturday’s full article on the sinking itself. (1/2)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
Phillips' folly
Podcast Episode · Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged) · 10/12/2025 · 33m
podcasts.apple.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:10 AM
This week’s podcast is a rough overview of the sinking of HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. Mainly questioning why they were there, the mission they were on and setup for Saturday’s full article on the sinking itself. (1/2)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
A brief history of #PearlHarbor came to be established, a thread. In January of 1778, Capt Cook landed on the island of Kaua’i. In 1810 the islands became united under King Kamehameha I with help from outsiders. (1:5)
December 7, 2025 at 4:49 PM
A brief history of #PearlHarbor came to be established, a thread. In January of 1778, Capt Cook landed on the island of Kaua’i. In 1810 the islands became united under King Kamehameha I with help from outsiders. (1:5)
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
#Newbook based on oral histories with Japanese-American @USArmy veterans, this book looks @ their translation & intelligence operations in New Guinea & Bougainville in #WWII.
#historybookposts #WeHaveWays
#historybookposts #WeHaveWays
December 5, 2025 at 4:07 AM
#Newbook based on oral histories with Japanese-American @USArmy veterans, this book looks @ their translation & intelligence operations in New Guinea & Bougainville in #WWII.
#historybookposts #WeHaveWays
#historybookposts #WeHaveWays
Hello @otdmilhistory.bsky.social, found reference to Far Eastern Combined Bureau's Charles Boxer sending the War Office a report in July 1939 about Hong Kong's vulnerability to Japanese attack. Have you come across this?
See page 6: www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/37...
See page 6: www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/37...
www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk
December 4, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Hello @otdmilhistory.bsky.social, found reference to Far Eastern Combined Bureau's Charles Boxer sending the War Office a report in July 1939 about Hong Kong's vulnerability to Japanese attack. Have you come across this?
See page 6: www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/37...
See page 6: www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/37...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
So, hey, my new book on Truman and the Bomb comes out NEXT WEEK! In this post on Doomsday Machines, I give a rundown of WHAT IT IS ABOUT, and other useful information, including the talk I am giving about it on December 16. doomsdaymachines.net/p/the-most-a...
"The Most Awful Responsibility"
My new book on Truman and the bomb will be released next week
doomsdaymachines.net
December 4, 2025 at 2:17 PM
So, hey, my new book on Truman and the Bomb comes out NEXT WEEK! In this post on Doomsday Machines, I give a rundown of WHAT IT IS ABOUT, and other useful information, including the talk I am giving about it on December 16. doomsdaymachines.net/p/the-most-a...
Reposted by From Oblivion to Triumph
Mitsuo Fuchida's personal photo album "Autobiography: Summer is Near" is now available on the Hoover Institution's website.
Link: digitalcollections2.hoover.org/view/ark:/54...
Link: digitalcollections2.hoover.org/view/ark:/54...
Photo album No. 2 "Pictures for Fuchida story" (自伝 夏は近い Autobiography: The Summer is Near), 1939-1945
digitalcollections2.hoover.org
December 2, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Mitsuo Fuchida's personal photo album "Autobiography: Summer is Near" is now available on the Hoover Institution's website.
Link: digitalcollections2.hoover.org/view/ark:/54...
Link: digitalcollections2.hoover.org/view/ark:/54...
Fortunately, by the time the Canadians landed on nearby Kiska, the Japanese had already left. Nevertheless, there were some casualties from blue-on-blue incidents because the liberation force wasn't aware of this.
#WWII #WWIIHistory #CanadianMilitaryHistory
#WWII #WWIIHistory #CanadianMilitaryHistory
War correspondent Robert L. Sherrod captured for readers back home the brutal conditions on Attu in the Aleutians, and the human cost of battle.
rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2021/05/deat...
rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2021/05/deat...
December 3, 2025 at 9:31 PM
Fortunately, by the time the Canadians landed on nearby Kiska, the Japanese had already left. Nevertheless, there were some casualties from blue-on-blue incidents because the liberation force wasn't aware of this.
#WWII #WWIIHistory #CanadianMilitaryHistory
#WWII #WWIIHistory #CanadianMilitaryHistory