Dark Days

Reminiscences of the War in Hong Kong and Life in China, 1941–1945

In 1941, Tan Kheng Yeang is a student at the University of Hong Kong as the maelstrom of war engulfs the Pacific Theatre. In December, after many days of brave resistance, the colony of Hong Kong finally falls to the Japanese, and Yeang is unwittingly caught up in that horror that ensues. In this personal memoir, Yeang shares the hardships suffered by the people of China during World War II as the result of Japanese militarism. With a poignant narrative style, Yeang details the brutality of invading forces that seemed to know no bounds as they massacre, rape, and lootturning a splendid city into a region of misery destroyed by the constant humiliations inflicted by Japanese soldiers. As the atrocities continue and the death toll climbs, Yeang details how he and his classmates made the fateful decision to flee to mainland China. As they embark on a compelling journey of human endurance and determination, the refugees struggle across China and face difficult climate conditions, unreliable modes of transportation, and primitive living conditionsall while fearing further pursuit and attacks by the enemy. Dark Days shares an unforgettable glimpse into how rampart militarism forever changed the lives of ordinary people.