Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Royal Navy’s War in Korea, c. 1950–1953: Part 1

Histories of Singapore and Hong Kong have traditionally focused on their role in British defence planning between the World Wars or the 1942 catastrophe. However, attention has recently shifted to their continued importance to Imperial security during the Cold War. This article adds to this by examining how these two fallen fortresses were restored and used to project British naval power into the Korean War. It analyses how their geopolitical conditions and security concerns affected British military power projection. It assesses the value of the fortresses through an operational lens, drawing on Korean War logistical-administrative reports and naval campaign accounts.